Netanyahu to Iranians: Happy Persian New Year, it’s time to celebrate

The Israeli prime minister urged Iranians to celebrate as IDF strikes against the regime continue.

By World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Iranians to celebrate an ancient Persian holiday in a statement highlighting Israel’s recent military actions against the Islamic regime, including the assassination of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani.

“I am here with Israel’s defense minister, our chief of staff, the head of the Mossad, our chief of the air force, and our senior commanders,” Netanyahu said in a video statement filmed at IDF headquarters, the Kirya, in Tel Aviv.

“In the past 24 hours, we have knocked out two of the terror chieftains, the top terrorist chieftains of this tyranny,” he said, referring to the killing of Larijani, which was confirmed by Iran on Tuesday evening.

Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Basij force, was also killed in a recent strike.

“Our aircraft are hitting the terror operatives on the ground, in the crossroads, in the city squares. This is meant to enable the brave people of Iran to celebrate the Festival of Fire,” he continued.

“So celebrate, and happy Nowruz. We are watching from above.”

In a separate video message published several hours earlier, Netanyahu addressed the Iranian public ahead of the holiday.

“To the brave people of Iran, I wish you, as I do every year, a happy holiday season, beginning with the Festival of Lights,” Netanyahu said.

“It reflects the enduring belief of the Iranian people that light will triumph over darkness, and that good will prevail over evil. This year, the holiday carries special meaning. Celebrate it with your friends, your families, and your loved ones,” he added.

Nowruz is an ancient Iranian holiday with no specific religious connotation, marking the arrival of spring and the traditional new year.

It has been widely celebrated by people of many faiths across the region for thousands of years, including in Iran, Azerbaijan, Iraq, and Syria, as well as among Iranian cultural communities worldwide.