The people of Iran are not just fighting against compulsory Hijab, they are fighting for freedom from theocratic rule and against a fundamentally corrupt government. Iranians understand that discrimination and violence are inherent to the regime's ideology; they realise that their freedom will never materialise as long as the mullahs retain their monopoly on power. Iranians of all backgrounds have come together to demand an end to this regime which, over the last 43 years, has proven that it is incapable of being reformed.

For women in Iran, whose few rights and daily actions are constantly restricted, surveilled and supervised, the fight is immensely personal. Women are outraged that something as simple as showing a few strands of hair can cost them their freedom, or even their life. The current protests, in addition to representing a social and political revolution, are also a feminist one. Women protesting in Iran no longer fear the consequences of getting arrested or attacked because they have nothing left to lose.

Have you seen the Handmaid's Tale? Well, it’s fair to say the people of Iran been living the plot for the past 40-odd years (Seriously, watch it if you haven’t already).

Since a constitutional referendum in 1979 abolishing the monarchy, Iran has been ruled by an Islamic theocracy, officially titled the “Islamic Republic" of Iran. Initially, this newly established Islamic State (rings a bell, right?) was supported by an overwhelming majority of Iranians. After years of struggle with both absolute and constitutional forms of monarchy, religious sentiments were strong amongst an overtly conservative society and the Islamic evangelists were luring people into believing that a better life (and perhaps afterlife) is only achievable under a divine form of government.

However, those hopes soon proved to be horribly false as those religious leaders started to show their true colours, turning Iran into a dystopia for its people and steering the country towards authoritarianism and religious fanaticism. More and more, people lost their rights to be heard, to be adequately represented, and even to express themselves freely and in that journey, WOMEN ended up becoming the most suppressed.

TODAY, the “Islamic Republic” is forcing an extremist narrative of strict adherence to Islamic rules on everyone in Iran (even non-muslims). And if you don't abide by these inhumane laws, at the very least you'd lose your social privileges – for example, you can't get qualified as a lawyer or work for a governmental agency which makes up nearly 90% of the Iranian economy or you lose your rights to public benefits and facilities. At most, you could get executed if, for example, you publicly renounce Islamic rules or act against them. Compulsory hijab and dress codes for all women are just the quintessences.

TODAY, the “Islamic Republic” is sacrificing the rights and interests of the majority of its people for the benefit of a privileged few, who operate in the same fashion as a terrorist cartel.

TODAY, the “Islamic Republic” is killing its own people to protect the personality cult of its religious leaders whose ambition is leading the entire Muslim population to conquer the world and enforce Islamic rules on every single human being.

Iranians are now the gatekeepers to STOP this from pervasion, and we need your HELP!

Unlike any previous protests in Iran, the movement’s primary source of discontent is neither economic nor political. The main slogan amongst today’s protesters is “Women, Life, Freedom,” which indicates a more general and resilient opposition to the Islamic Republic’s dictatorial system. The regime’s continuous efforts to control all aspects of people’s lives have progressively deprived them of freedom and their rights. Unfortunately, Iranian women have been subject to these gruesome human rights violations for decades, hence, freedom and human dignity lie at the centre of this movement.

An astounding aspect of this movement is that it is significantly merged of young Iranians (Women and Men) under the age of twenty-five who are not only identified as opponents of the regime’s ideology but are also openly unfamiliar with the mindset of the older generation – fighting for a better tomorrow. In addition to the brave women who have been at the forefront of these weeks-long protests, students have also added energy by launching large demonstrations at schools and universities across the country. Despite the dangers of arrest and death, the women and men of different ethnicities taking part in these protests have shown a great sense of unity, and this foundation could make this movement a significantly powerful humanistic and secular force in Iran, with tremendous potential for change.