Nowruz Celebrations Ring In Persian New Year

Turkish Kurds build a human tower during Nowruz celebrations in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey, on March 21.

Members of the Azeri diaspora dance in traditional costumes as they celebrate Nowruz in Tbilisi, Georgia on March 21.

A woman takes a picture of people lighting bonfires as they watch a torch procession up a hill during Kurdish Nowruz celebrations in Aqrah, Iraq on March 20.

People watch a torch procession during Kurdish Nowruz celebrations in Aqrah, Iraq on March 20.

A woman dances in front of a fire as Turkish Kurds gather for Nowruz celebrations in Diyarbakir, Turkey on March 21.

Young men climb scaffolding as Turkish Kurds gather for Nowruz celebrations in Diyarbakir, Turkey on March 21.

People dressed in traditional costumes participate in Nowruz celebrations in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on March 21.

A vendor sells cotton candy during Nowruz festivities in Kabul, Afghanistan on March 21.

Children play on swings during Nowruz celebrations at the Kart-e-Sakhi shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan on March 21.

An Iranian woman prays at the graves of unknown soldiers killed during 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, at the Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery outside Tehran, Iran, on the eve of Nowruz on March 20. 

A Kurdish woman dances during Nowruz celebrations in Lavrio, Greece on March 21.

Iraqi Kurds hold lit torches as they walk up a mountain in the town of Akra, Iraq during Nowruz on March 20.

A young girl jumps over fire during the Kurdish community's Nowruz celebrations in Istanbul on March 21.

A girl looks out a window of the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine during Nowruz festivities in Mazari-i-Sharif, Afghanistan on March 21.

Three girls hug during Nowruz celebrations in the Hockey refugee camp at the former Olympic complex in a suburb of Athens, Greece on March 21.