TEHRAN – The sixth day of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Art Week was marked by a series of street theater performances across the country, with 57 productions staged in Tehran and other cities in tribute to the martyrs of the IRIS Dena.

On Tuesday evening, eight plays produced by the Sooreh Dramatic Arts Center, affiliated with the Art Bureau, were performed simultaneously at eight locations across Tehran. The performances coincided with public gatherings related to the recent imposed war on Iran, while parallel productions were staged in several provinces.

The performances were dedicated to the sailors of the IRIS Dena, who lost their lives after the vessel was targeted by a US submarine while returning from the MILAN 2026. The incident has been widely condemned in Iran as an act of aggression.

The 12th edition of the Islamic Revolution Art Week commenced nationwide last Thursday, marking the martyrdom anniversary of Seyyed Morteza Avini.

Organized by the Art Bureau of the Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization, the week-long event features a diverse array of street theater, poetry nights, and art exhibitions across Tehran and several other provinces.

This year’s festivities are defined by a shift toward public spaces, aiming to foster a direct dialogue between artists and the citizenry through identity-driven and national themes.

The sinking of the Iranian Navy frigate IRIS Dena during the US-Israeli war imposed on Iran marks a significant and tragic episode in modern naval warfare. On March 4, 2026, while returning home from the MILAN 2026 naval exercise in India, the Dena was torpedoed by the USS Charlotte, a Los Angeles-class submarine of the United States Navy, approximately 19 nautical miles off the coast of Galle, Sri Lanka. The attack occurred in international waters, raising serious questions about the legality and morality of targeting a vessel that was reportedly unarmed and carrying naval cadets. Iranian sources have described this incident as a brutal assault on a returning naval unit, leading to the martyrdom of several crew members and igniting widespread condemnation across Iran and world.

The implications of the Dena tragedy extend beyond the immediate loss of life; it has been framed within the context of escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. Iranian officials and commentators have characterized the attack as part of a broader pattern of aggressive actions by Washington during the conflict, portraying it as a violation of international norms. US President Donald Trump's admission that the decision to sink the vessel was made for reasons of amusement has further inflamed sentiments in Iran, reinforcing perceptions of American hostility and disregard for human life. 

The Dena destroyer was unarmed and carrying naval cadets when it came under attack by American forces. US President Donald Trump stated that his administration could have chosen not to sink the vessel, but decided to do so because it was “more fun.”

SAB/