This Monday marks the Muslim holy day of Ashura, a day that is perhaps nowhere more ardently commemorated than in Iran. The only way to fully understand what this day means to so many Iranians is to delve into a history that has repeated itself there for years on end. From the Constitutional Revolution of the early 20th Century to the 1979 Islamic Revolution to the growth of the opposition Green Movement since 2009 to last week’s storming of the British Embassy, the history of Ashura is reflected in every struggle against injustice in Iran. Whether opposing monarchy, imperialism, theocracy or crippling sanctions, the history of this day holds a unique position in the hearts of countless Iranians.

Not long ago, I got a call from a reporter asking for my thoughts on the Islamic New Year. I immediately broke out laughing. “I’m Iranian,” I told her, “We don’t celebrate the Islamic New Year much. Our real new year is the first day of spring. So if you call back in March, I’ll have something much more intelligent to say.”