Hey, you who sit on the shore, merry and bright! A soul in the water surrenders to night. One there is, flailing with desperate hand, On this fierce, dark, and weighty sea, as you apprehend.…Tell me, at what moment should I say? A soul in the water throws life away.^[1]

The Iranian slogan ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ is one of the most beautiful and inspiring mottos of a movement we have heard in ages. Some might think it’s over and the state has won in Iran. Still, I stand here as a person who has experienced all the injustice and gender apartheid, participated in protests, and witnessed the will and courage of the people, to tell you that we are, and will continue to, fight for our rights, freedom, and lives. Many believe that this movement started with a protest against the hijab, but it was never only about that. It began with the killing of an innocent girl—a brutal act that devalued her life, our lives, women’s lives. In that moment, it became clear that our humanity and civil rights were at stake. From childhood to university, I witnessed and endured constant policing of women’s bodies. Women have always been the objects of exploitation and the subjects of constant suspicion. 

In the middle of our movement and oppressive crackdowns and killings, The Islamic regime held an International Congress for Women of Influence from around the world on January 20, 2023, to give the impression to the world that they were pro-women in this government, while at the exact moment, according to the Islamic Regime’s own report to Human Rights Council, there were over 34,000 arrests, primarily women, for protesting to gain their fundamental human rights. However, the independent experts questioned any statistics the Islamic Regime provides due to its history of manipulating data, which means the number of arrests is much higher than this. The protests over the state murder of “Mahsa Amini” have been the biggest challenge to the Islamic Republic’s legitimacy since the 1979 Revolution. They united Iranians across ethnic and class lines more than previous protests, from Kurdish regions (where Mahsa was from) to the heart of Tehran and even traditional bazaars (which had been the supporters of the regime during the 1979 Revolution). The movement quickly became a broad challenge to the regime, encompassing demands for gender equality, human rights, and an end to clerical rule. Many protesters targeted Khamenei directly with chants of “Death be upon the dictator”, signalling a level of anger and fearless speech not seen at this scale before. Notably, women emerged as powerful symbols and leaders in the uprising, undercutting the state’s long-held narrative that it champions Muslim women’s dignity. The popular chant “Woman, Life, Freedom” encapsulated a vision opposed to the regime’s ideology, resonating globally and drawing international solidarity. Iranians internalised several lessons from this experience:

 1. The importance of solidarity across gender and ethnic divisions, 2. The power of social media (even when the internet is restricted) to galvanise support, and 3. The reality is that the world’s attention, while sympathetic, does not necessarily translate into outside intervention. 

The regime, for its part, learned it could contain the leaderless movement only through sustained force, but at the cost of further alienating its own people. By 2023, even as the street demonstrations died down, visible resistance continued (women refusing to wear hijab, graffiti, strikes), indicating a society that had “lost its fear” to a significant degree. As one commentary noted, Iran’s rulers could suppress the protests but not the demand for change – protesters’ fundamental grievances “won’t be easily satisfied.”

Societal Lessons from a Decade of Protests

Iran has experienced several waves of widespread protests in the last ten years, each more significant and radical than the previous. The most notable nationwide uprisings occurred in 2017–2018, 2019, and 2022, triggered by various grievances—from economic hardship to social repression—and met by harsh state crackdowns. Although these protests differed in their immediate causes, they shared common threads: anger at corruption and authoritarianism. After three major nationwide uprisings in five years, alongside numerous local protests and strikes, Iranian society has undergone a political awakening. Some key takeaways include:

•  Collapse of Faith in Reform: Years of violent crackdowns have led many Iranians to conclude that meaningful change is no longer possible through reform. Voter turnout has dropped to historic lows—falling below 40% in the 2024 presidential election—as public disillusionment with the system becomes increasingly undeniable. Even some regime insiders have admitted to a growing “legitimacy crisis,” driven by deepening economic hardship and the absence of fundamental freedoms. The 2022 protest slogan, “No reform, no referendum—just revolution,” captures the widespread loss of faith in gradual or institutional paths to change.
• Rising Courage and Unity: Each protest wave has lowered the barrier of fear. Iranians have grown bolder in confronting authority – from workers and teachers staging strikes, to women flouting hijab laws en masse. Notably, disparate social groups found common cause: middle-class women’s rights activists stood with working-class youth angry at inflation, and ethnic minorities (Kurds, Baluchis, Turks, Arabs, etc.) saw their struggles resonate nationally. This emerging solidarity across divides has been a significant societal shift.
• Leaderless but Resilient: The protests of 2017 to 2022 were spontaneous and decentralised, making them hard to eradicate completely and challenging to translate into organised political action. Iranians learned the strengths and drawbacks of leaderless movements. While no single opposition figurehead has emerged inside the country (to rally around or to be targeted by the state), underground networks and grassroots organising have matured. The populace has, in effect, been “learning by doing” in terms of protest tactics and civil disobedience.

Regime Adaptation: The Iranian regime has also drawn lessons. It has honed a playbook of intimidation, from internet shutdowns to live fire, and propaganda framing protesters as rioters or foreign pawns. So far, the security apparatus has remained cohesive and willing to use unlimited force. However, the repeated unrest has forced officials to acknowledge public anger (at least superficially) and occasionally float concessions. For example, after the 2022 protests, authorities discussed loosening morality police patrols or addressing economic grievances, though meaningful reforms have been scant. The leadership has learned to rely on repression as a first resort, but also to prepare for unrest as a chronic challenge rather than a one-off event.

Looking Ahead: Challenges and Possible Futures for Iran

After a tumultuous decade, Iran stands at a crossroads domestically and internationally. Several key lessons have emerged from 2015–2025 that will shape the country’s next chapter:

• Empowerment of a New Generation: Iranian society today is young, mainly (a majority under 35), and highly connected (despite state censorship). The past decade’s events have politicised this new generation. They are less afraid to challenge authority, more globally aware (thanks to social media and diasporic ties), and less attached to the ideological narratives of the 1979 revolution. This generational shift means pressures for change – be it cultural liberalisation or demands for accountable governance – will continue to build from within, regardless of external factors.
• The International Solidarity and the extension and expansion of the Fact-Finding Mission Committee havealso been a great success due to the hard work of Human Rights Organisations and their Coalition. This gives voice to a broader range of victims and brings hope that the Islamic Republic Regime will be accountable for all its brutality and violation of human rights. As far as the international communities are actively involved, there is a hope to curb the Islamic Regime’s oppressive forces. Since the regime has shown – domestically and internationally – that it is devoid of the ability to reform, what we need is a transition from the theocratic Islamic Regime which in its 1979 constitution explicitly states that all democratic procedures and rights are subordinate to the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council, to a state with Democratic values. 
• Persistence Through Brutality: The Islamic Republic’s continued existence is less a testament to resilience than a reflection of its ruthless capacity for repression. Rather than yielding to the will of its people or reforming in response to repeated crises—mass protests, economic collapse, and international isolation—the regime has clung to power through violence, censorship, and coercion. Crackdowns, mass arrests, and fear-mongering have been its primary tools, not legitimate governance or popular support. Its so-called survival has been purchased at the expense of lives, freedoms, and any remaining thread of public trust. Far from resilience, the regime is a monument to authoritarian endurance, not democratic legitimacy.

The regime may cling to power through violence, but it cannot kill the will for freedom. What began with mourning has become a movement. And that movement, rooted in courage, will not be silenced.

^[1] “O You Humans” by Nima Youshij