A Bleak Persian New Year Begins (S01E29)

Friday, March, 20, 2026, IstanbulNowrouz pirouz and eid mubarak to all those celebrating on this rare convergence of both the Persian and Muslim calendars. Wishing everyone some joy and light at this time of the year. I guess we should enjoy while we can. The International Energy Agency warned that the war against Iran has caused the greatest shock to world energy markets in history. “The war in the Middle East is creating a major energy crisis, including the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. In the absence of a swift resolution, the impacts on energy markets and economies are set to become more and more severe,” said Fatih Birol, the mulilateral organization’s executive director.Don’t just look at the price of oil per barrel. The energy shock means higher prices for everything. It means dreams of going to unversity deferred, layoffs, hunger, and anger. One analyst told me the after-effects of the war could last years, and that’s once the fighting ends. And there seems to be little appetite to stop the conflict. A cornered, righteous Iran has been firing heavy volleys of missiles at Israel, even though the US claims it has degraded its capabilities 90%.The US iw rushing 9,000 troops to the Middle East as a possible precursor to seizing Iranian islands in the Strait of Hormuz or in the Persian Gulf, in a gambit that many consider unrealistic at best and totally insane at worst.An angry, wounded, and widely despised Israel—quickly losing its popularity in the US—shows no sign of seeking an off-ramp so long as Trump remains in office. In fact, it has become increasingly open about targeting Iranian infrastructure. One pro-Israel operative publicly menaced all Iranians, demanding they topple their “antisemitic” regime or watch the country be destroyed. “Get rid of this regime fast, before it costs the rest of your country too,” said Ceng Sagnic, of the Jerusalem Center.For Iranians living inside the country, this is truly an ardous time, as I discussed on France 24 during an interview (see video at top). They are caught Israeli and American bombardment and regime repression that has included an internet blockage and the execution of young protesters on questionable charges of shooting policemen during January protests. Still, some managed to carryon the treasured rituals of Nowrouz, as seen in the lovely slideshow posted below. badlands is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe