BARCELONA — Iranian expatriates gathered on Mediterranean beaches and city squares across Europe this week to celebrate Chaharshanbe Suri, the ancient Persian fire festival that precedes Nowruz, while making bold political statements against their homeland's government.

The celebrations in Barcelona, Berlin, and other European capitals featured traditional dancing, jumping over fires, and feasting, but were distinguished by the prominent display of Israeli and American flags alongside Persian cultural symbols. Participants wrapped themselves in the flags of countries their government considers enemies while performing rituals dating back millennia.

Dr. Kamran Matin, professor of international relations at Sussex University, said the symbolic gesture reflects deepening alienation between Iran's diaspora and the Islamic Republic. "These communities are using their most sacred cultural moment to express solidarity with Israel and America," Matin explained. "It represents a complete rejection of Tehran's foreign policy narrative."

The demonstrations come as Iran faces mounting domestic unrest and international isolation over its nuclear programme and regional proxy activities. Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed Shah and a prominent opposition figure, praised the diaspora's "courage in standing with democratic values" during traditional celebrations. The Persian fire festival traditionally symbolises purification and renewal ahead of the spring equinox, but this year's observances carried explicit political messaging that would be impossible to display inside Iran itself.