Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in separate phone calls on Saturday night felicitated the country's senior clerics and Grand Ayatollahs on the advent of Nowruz.

During the phone talks, Rouhani wished health and success for the senior clerics, and appreciated them for paying attention to his government.

The Grand Ayatollahs, for their part, wished success for the government in serving the Iranian people.

Nowruz, which coincides with the first day of spring on the solar calendar, is mostly celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

The International Day of Nowruz was registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on February 23, 2010.

For Iranians, Nowruz is a celebration of renewal and change, a time to visit relatives and friends, and pay respect to senior family members.

Iranians welcome the New Year by wearing new clothes and setting the Haft Seen, a table containing seven items starting with the letter 'S'; Sabzeh (freshly grown greens), Samanu (sweet wheat paste), Senjed (jujube), Seeb (apple), Seer (garlic), Serkeh (vinegar) and Somaq (sumac).
 

News ID 186438