Bloody Nowruz (1759)

Bloody neurosis
Part of Persian–Afghan Wars
One of the streets in Tehran district
LocationTehran
Date1759
Attack type
Massacre, Collective punishment, sectarian violence, Anti-Afghan
Deaths9,000
VictimsAfghan soldiers of Azad Khan Afghan
Perpetrators Zand dynasty
MotivePersian–Afghan Wars

The Bloody Nowruz or Nowruz Massacre refers to a violent state-sponsored liquidation of Afghan military officers in Tehran during the spring of 1759. Orchestrated by Karim Khan Zand, the event targeted approximately 9,000 high-ranking Afghan officials who were perceived as a persistent security threat to the Iranian state.