Nowruz
Persian New Year, the most important celebration marking the first day of spring and the beginning of the new year. The first four days are official holidays.
Shahanshahi Calendar
The Imperial Calendar of Iran counting from the founding of the Persian Empire by Cyrus the Great.
About the Calendar
The Shahanshahi (Imperial) calendar was adopted in 1976 (2535 Shahanshahi) by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. It uses the same month structure as the Iranian Solar calendar but counts years from the founding of the Achaemenid Empire by Cyrus the Great in 559 BC. The Shahanshahi year equals the Solar Hijri year plus 1180.
February – March 2026
Sa
Su
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Months of the Shahanshahi Calendar
| # | Farsi Name | English Name | Days | Gregorian Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | فروردین | Farvardin | 31 | Mar 21 – Apr 20 |
| 2 | اردیبهشت | Ordibehesht | 31 | Apr 21 – May 21 |
| 3 | خرداد | Khordad | 31 | May 22 – Jun 21 |
| 4 | تیر | Tir | 31 | Jun 22 – Jul 22 |
| 5 | مرداد | Mordad | 31 | Jul 23 – Aug 22 |
| 6 | شهریور | Shahrivar | 31 | Aug 23 – Sep 22 |
| 7 | مهر | Mehr | 30 | Sep 23 – Oct 22 |
| 8 | آبان | Aban | 30 | Oct 23 – Nov 21 |
| 9 | آذر | Azar | 30 | Nov 22 – Dec 21 |
| 10 | دی | Dey | 30 | Dec 22 – Jan 20 |
| 11 | بهمن | Bahman | 30 | Jan 21 – Feb 19 |
| 12 | اسفند | Esfand | 29* | Feb 20 – Mar 20 |
* Esfand has 30 days in a leap year.
Holidays & Ceremonies
Princess Leila's Birthday / Performing Arts Day
Birthday of Princess Leila Pahlavi, youngest daughter of Mohammad Reza Shah. Also celebrated as Performing Arts Day.
Prince Alireza's Birthday
Birthday of Prince Alireza Pahlavi, youngest son of Mohammad Reza Shah.
Nature Day (Sizdah Bedar)
Nature Day, the thirteenth day of the new year spent outdoors in nature, marking the end of Nowruz celebrations.
Princess Noor Pahlavi's Birthday
Birthday of Princess Noor Pahlavi, granddaughter of Mohammad Reza Shah.
Amir-Abbas Hoveyda's Birthday
Birthday of Amir-Abbas Hoveyda, Iran's longest-serving Prime Minister (1965–1977), a key figure in Iran's modernization.
Attar Neyshaburi Commemoration Day
Commemorating the great Persian poet and mystic Farid ud-Din Attar of Nishapur, author of The Conference of the Birds.
Pahlavani Culture & Zurkhaneh Day
Celebrating the ancient Persian tradition of Zurkhaneh (House of Strength) athletics and Pahlavani heroic culture.
Tirgan
Ancient festival of rain and water, celebrating the mythical arrow shot by Arash the Archer to mark the border of Iran.
Mehregan
Festival of Mehr (love and friendship), one of the oldest Persian celebrations honoring Mithra and the autumn harvest.
Aban Pasbani
Festival of water, honoring Anahita, the guardian of waters, celebrated by gathering near rivers and springs.
Sadeh
Festival of fire, celebrated 50 days before Nowruz by lighting great bonfires to drive away the cold of winter.
Chaharshanbe Suri
Festival of fire on the last Wednesday eve of the year. People jump over bonfires chanting 'Give me your red color, take my yellow pallor.'
Yalda Night
The longest night of the year (winter solstice). Families gather to eat pomegranates and watermelon, and read poetry of Hafez.
Coronation of Cyrus the Great
Commemorating the day Cyrus the Great entered Babylon in 539 BC, establishing the Achaemenid Empire's dominion and issuing the first charter of human rights.
Sepandarmazgan
Ancient Persian day of love, celebrating Sepandarmaz (Earth) and honoring women and love — the original Persian Valentine's Day.
Constitution Day
Commemorates the Imperial Decree of 14 Mordad 1285 (1906) by Mozaffar al-Din Shah, ordering the establishment of a national parliament and constitution — Iran's first steps toward constitutional governance.
National Uprising Day
Celebrates the events of 28 Mordad 1332 (1953) which restored Mohammad Reza Shah to full power. The Pahlavi government commemorated this as a national uprising in support of the monarchy.
Shah's Birthday & Coronation Day
Birthday of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (1919). He held his coronation on this same date in 1346 (1967) at Golestan Palace, crowning himself Shahanshah (King of Kings).
Mother's Day (Women's Day)
In 1339 (1960), Mohammad Reza Shah designated the anniversary of the founding of the Society for the Protection of Mothers and Infants as Mother's Day, celebrating motherhood and women in Iranian society.
Women's Emancipation Day
Commemorates Reza Shah's decree of 17 Dey 1314 (1936) banning the compulsory veil, celebrating women's liberation and equal participation in society.
White Revolution Day
Marks the referendum of 6 Bahman 1341 (1963) approving the Shah's reform program: land reform, women's suffrage, nationalization of forests, literacy corps, and profit-sharing for workers.
National Renewal Day (3 Esfand)
Marks 3 Esfand 1299 (1921) when Reza Khan seized Tehran with the Cossack Brigade, ending Qajar rule and paving the way for the Pahlavi dynasty. Celebrated as the beginning of Iran's national renewal and modernization.
Reza Shah's Birthday
Birthday of Reza Shah Pahlavi (1878), founder of the Pahlavi dynasty and father of modern Iran. A square in Tehran was named 'Meydan-e 24 Esfand' in his honor.