In honour of the Iranian spring festival, the president gives a speech at a table that's traditionally decorated with symbols of fertility and prosperity. A regular feature is the goldfish that's released into the wild after thirteen days. Usually the little fish isn't up to that task, so animal welfare activists called to put a stop to the custom. The president of the Islamic Republic heeded the call, and was willing to have the goldfish replaced by an orange in a bowl this year. Vice President Masumeh Ebtekar saw some more symbolism in this: the absence of water is a creative call to save water.
