Khordad

Khordad (خرداد) is the third month of the Iranian solar calendar, which is used in Iran and Afghanistan. It has 31 days and generally runs from May 22 to June 21 in the Gregorian calendar. The month sits in late spring and marks the transition toward early summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

The name Khordad derives from the Avestan word Khordād, carried into the modern Persian calendar from the older Zoroastrian calendar. Along with Farvardin and Ordibehesht, Khordad forms the early months of the year and is part of the sequence used for civil and cultural date reckoning.

In Iran and Afghanistan, Khordad is used in daily life, government records, and media, and the dates of the month appear in calendars and planning. The season associated with Khordad is late spring/early summer, with typical weather ranging from mild to warm in much of Iran.

A notable date in Khordad is 22 Khordad, 1388 (June 12, 2009), widely remembered for large-scale protests following the 2009 presidential election. The month continues to be an element of the annual calendar used for holidays and planning.

Related topics include the Iranian calendar, the Solar Hijri system, and the Avestan origins of month names.