‘We must preserve our traditions’: war casts shadow over Iranian Nowruz celebrations

Nowruz – also celebrated across central Asia, parts of the Caucasus, and among Kurds throughout the Middle East – marks the spring equinox. Photograph: M Mohsenifar/The Guardian

Heavy strikes echoed across Tehran during one of the country’s biggest holidays as Tel Aviv said it had “acted alone” in striking Iran’s South Pars gasfield, a move that further escalated the conflict.

Donald Trump said on Friday he was considering “winding down” military operations. He wrote on social media: “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives.”