Nowruz, the Persian new year

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Kurdish women, recat, during the Nowruz celebrations in southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2014. Nowruz, the Farsi-language word for "new year", is an ancient Persian festival, celebrated on the first day of spring, March 21, in Central Asian republics, Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan and Iran. (AP Photo)

Afghan men hoist the holy mace during celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, at the Kart-e-Sakhi's shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, March 21, 2014. Friday, the first day of spring, marks the beginning of the year 1393 on the Persian calendar. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An Afghan man carries his daughter on their way to attend celebrations at the Kart-e-Sakhi's shrine on the occasion of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, March 21, 2014. Friday, the first day of spring, marks the beginning of the year 1393 on the Persian calendar. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Kurdish people dance during the Nowruz celebrations in southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2014. Nowruz, the Farsi-language word for "new year", is an ancient Persian festival, celebrated on the first day of spring, March 21, in Central Asian republics, Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan and Iran. The words in Kurdish read: " Free leadership, free Kurdistan."(AP Photo)

Two Iranians fly a wishing lantern in the Pardisan Park in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2014, during Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire, on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, when Iranians jump over burning bonfires and throw firecrackers celebrating arrival of the spring which coincides with their new year, or Nowruz, which begins on March 21. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

An Iranian boy holds a firework in the Pardisan Park in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2014, during Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire, on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, when Iranians jump over burning bonfires and throw firecrackers celebrating arrival of the spring which coincides with their new year, or Nowruz, which begins on March 21. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

An Iranian man flies a wishing lantern in the Pardisan Park in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2014, during Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire, on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, when Iranians jump over burning bonfires and throw firecrackers celebrating arrival of the spring which coincides with their new year, or Nowruz, which begins on March 21. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Two Iranians jump over a bonfire in the Pardisan Park in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2014, during Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire, on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, when Iranians jump over burning bonfires and throw firecrackers celebrating arrival of the spring which coincides with their new year, or Nowruz, which begins on March 21. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Two Iranian women jump over bonfires in the Pardisan Park in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2014, during Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire, on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, when Iranians jump over burning bonfires and throw firecrackers celebrating arrival of the spring which coincides with their new year, or Nowruz, which begins on March 21. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

An Iranian woman jumps over a bonfire in the Pardisan Park in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 18, 2014, during Chaharshanbe Souri, or Wednesday Feast, an ancient Festival of Fire, on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, when Iranians jump over burning bonfires and throw firecrackers celebrating arrival of the spring which coincides with their new year, or Nowruz, which begins on March 21. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

In this picture taken on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, Iranian release a lit lantern during a celebration, known as "Chaharshanbe Souri," or Wednesday Feast, marking the eve of the last Wednesday of the solar Persian year, in Pardisan park, Tehran, Iran. March 21, the first day of spring, marks Nowruz, the beginning of the year 1393 on the Persian calendar. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

In this picture taken on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, an Iranian woman lights fireworks during a celebration, known as "Chaharshanbe Souri," or Wednesday Feast, marking the eve of the last Wednesday of the solar Persian year, in Pardisan park, Tehran, Iran. March 21, the first day of spring, marks Nowruz, the beginning of the year 1393 on the Persian calendar. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

In this picture taken on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, an Iranian woman walks as a vendor sits next to his fish, a symbol of the Iranian New Year, ahead of the New Year, or Nowruz, in downtown Tehran, Iran. Nowruz which means "New Day" in Persian, marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year on the Iranian calendar, which occurs exactly on the Spring Equinox, and usually begins on March 21 or the previous or following day. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

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Kurdish women, recat, during the Nowruz celebrations in southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2014. Nowruz, the Farsi-language word for "new year", is an ancient Persian festival, celebrated on the first day of spring, March 21, in Central Asian republics, Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan and Iran. (AP Photo)

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