Groups of Iranians danced , danced to music and lit bonfires to celebrate holiday . Country 's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Shah had urged people to ignore occasion . The government has beefed up security to ensure `` order and calm '' during the two-week period celebrating Norooz , stationing 200,000 security personnel across the country , according to Ahmadinejad 's official news site . Chaharshanbe was celebrated before Persian new year . No immediate threat that celebrations would turn in to platform for protest .
Groups of Iranians danced , danced to music and lit bonfires to celebrate holiday . Country 's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Shah had urged people to ignore occasion . Chaharshanbe was celebrated before Persian new year . No immediate threat that celebrations would turn in to platform for protest .