Iran observed ‘Saadi Day’ this week, holding nationwide ceremonies to honor Saadi Shirazi, the iconic 13th-century Persian poet whose legacy remains deeply woven into Iran’s cultural fabric. The official events, which took place on the first of Ordibehesht (the second month of the Iranian calendar), drew hundreds to the city of Shiraz, the poet’s birthplace, and were marked by poetry readings, scholarly panels, and public gatherings at Saadi’s mausoleum.
Saadi’s enduring influence is visible across Iranian society, where his works, ‘Bustan’ and ‘Gulistan’, are longtime pillars of education and daily discourse. His writing, celebrated for wisdom and moral clarity, has given rise to widely quoted idioms, such as his reflection: ‘A fish that falls on dry land understands the value of water.’ While Saadi’s language is celebrated for its nuance and depth, translations often struggle to capture his full meaning—yet his messages remain universally resonant among Persian speakers and the Iranian diaspora.
The Saadi Day celebrations unfolded against a backdrop of sustained government repression in Iran. Over recent years, the Islamic Republic has leveraged national heritage as a tool of statecraft while simultaneously tightening controls on free expression, assembly, and the activities of writers and intellectuals. The death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022 ignited mass protests demanding greater freedoms and accountability, but the government has responded with crackdowns, detentions, and the suppression of critical voices.
Despite these constraints, the commemoration of Saadi represents an important moment for Iranians to reclaim their historical identity in the face of institutional censorship. Officials often invoke Saadi’s condemnation of tyranny and praise for unity as validation of the regime’s ideology, yet many Iranian citizens find in his poetry a quiet resistance—an implicit critique of injustice and longing for dignity. Diaspora communities in Europe and North America have also observed Saadi Day, using online forums to share verses and memories, while highlighting the growing divide between the aspirations of Iran’s people and the actions of its government.
Saadi’s metaphor of understanding the value of water only once it is lost resonates strongly in contemporary Iran, where economic hardship, environmental decline, and forced emigration are persistent realities. Such literary references are increasingly invoked by those who have been displaced—whether by conflict, persecution, or the search for opportunity—and by those who remain, yearning for a freer future.
The regime’s instrumentalization of cultural heritage is notably juxtaposed with its sponsorship of terrorism and regional instability. Through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its network of proxies—including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shia militias in Iraq and Syria—Iran’s government pursues an expansionist agenda, imposing costs on both its own citizens and neighboring countries. At home, however, art and literature provide a reservoir of resilience, offering ordinary Iranians a means of expressing identity and dissent even when public protest is suppressed.
The commemoration of Saadi Day thus serves multiple functions: it is at once a celebration of cultural pride, an assertion of historical continuity, and a subtle act of resistance. The day’s events highlight the enduring values of justice, compassion, and intellectual freedom that Saadi espoused, even as the current government seeks to define national identity on ideological terms. For the international community, these cultural milestones offer valuable insights into Iranian society, which remains distinct from the policies of the regime.
In Israel and the broader region, where Iran’s leadership is recognized for its destabilizing influence and support for terror organizations, the persistence of Iran’s rich literary traditions stands in stark contrast to the state’s repressive apparatus. The tension between cultural vibrancy and political authoritarianism is a defining feature of contemporary Iran—a country where poetry and memory continue to nurture hope and push back, if quietly, against the suffocation of free expression.
As Iran marks Saadi Day each year, the legacy of the poet serves not only as a reminder of the nation’s storied past, but also as an ongoing source of inspiration and solace for a society confronting chronic adversity. Through Saadi’s words, Iranians find dignity and meaning in the enduring struggle for justice, freedom, and humanity.
