Nowruz has taken on a different meaning for Iranians this year, amid conflict and fear | CNN

Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is a time of family, renewal, and the promise of fresh beginnings. Falling on the spring equinox, it is a celebration of a “new day” for millions in Iran and around the globe. But for many Iranians, there’s little enthusiasm for festivities this year. Caught between a wounded, angry but deeply entrenched regime and incessant US and Israeli attacks that have left thousands of dead and wounded and destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure, Iranians have been preparing for a very different Nowruz. “I have no energy to set my haft sin and prepare my home for the spring, said Nazanin, a 36-year-old Tehran resident, referring to the traditional spread that families put out to symbolize renewal, harmony and prosperity. “How can I celebrate when I can’t see my family? We can’t all get together.” For her and many other Iranians who spoke to CNN – their surnames withheld to protect their identities – the past three weeks have been filled with a sense of hopelessness and fear. “Time feels suspended in some ways. We are on the precipice of something, on the edge every day but we never fall over and the usual markers of time like (Persi