Talabani leaves for Iran

BAGHDAD /Iraqi News Iraqi President Jalal Talabani left for Iran at the head of an official delegation on Friday, according to al-Hurriya TV channel. “Talabani is leading an official delegation for a visit to Iran,” said the channel, which is owned by Talabani’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Iranian ambassador to Iraq had extended an official invitation a few days ago from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to President Talabani to attend the Nowruz celebrations. Nowruz, which means New Day, is the traditional ancient Iranian festival and also the start of Iranian New Year. Celebrated and observed by Iranian people and related cultural continent and has spread in many other parts of the world, Nowruz marks the first day of spring and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on March 21. Nowruz was originally a Zoroasterian festival, and holiest of all, and as such has unclear date of origin but was “probably” invented by Zoroaster himself. AmR (P) 1