“Female singer arrested during live performance in Tehran,” Iran International, 2-28-25.
“Why Khamenei’s clerics look for the crescent moon on Friday,” Iran International, 2-28-25. “Shia grand ayatollahs, both in Iran and abroad, traditionally insist that the crescent moon must be sighted with the naked eye for the observation to be considered valid. Yet, Khamenei and other grand ayatollahs allow the use of binoculars and other simple optical devices for moon-sighting, diverging from traditional Shia practice, which rejects modern astronomical calculations and advanced telescopes in determining the lunar calendar. Since becoming the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader in 1989, Khamenei has maintained a dedicated moon-sighting taskforce. Initially composed of 700 members in 150 groups, this year’s reports indicate that 100 groups have been deployed across the country. Taskforce members, primarily clerics well-versed in Islamic moon-sighting criteria, will repeat this process at the end of Ramadan to determine the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. … In recent years, there has reportedly been pressure on other grand ayatollahs to follow Khamenei’s lead on the matter of beginning and end of Ramadan to reinforce the Supreme Leader’s religious and political authority. While some people fast from dawn to dusk, others must be careful not to break the fasting month regulations, including a ban on eating, drinking, and smoking in all public spaces, including inside private vehicles, even if they are exempted from fasting by medical or other reasons. Law enforcement agencies strictly enforce these rules, with violators facing penalties ranging from 10 days to two months in prison or up to 74 lashes under Iran’s Islamic Penal Code. Restaurants, cafes, and street vendors are barred from serving customers before sunset. Businesses that fail to comply face serious consequences including temporary closure and cash fines. Some establishments have been allowed to discreetly offer take-away food over the last years. As in the past two years, Ramadan will partly coincide with the ancient Iranian New Year holidays—Norouz in Persian. This overlap occurs because Iran follows a solar calendar, while the Islamic calendar is lunar and approximately ten days shorter each year. In recent times, many ordinary Iranians have been deeply impacted by severe economic hardship. The overlap of Ramadan and Norouz is expected to further strain the hospitality industry and other businesses, many of which are already on the brink of bankruptcy due to a sharp decline in people’s ability to afford travel and dining out during the Norouz holidays.”