I will always remember this past summer as the one during which Iran opened itself up to the world. Thirty years of silence since the 1979 Iranian Revolution was shattered when violence erupted on the streets of Tehran over the disputed (read: stolen) elections. There are so many iconic images that came from endless days of protests, exposing to the world how young the Iranian population is (75% are under the age of 25), and as photograph after photograph revealed, how organized and vibrant the women’s rights movement in the country is.
In fact, it is the face of a woman, Neda, that came to symbolize the oppression of a people who have had enough of the Islamic Regime.
I think when it comes to Iran, the world suffers from A.D.D (attention deficit disorder). After weeks of endless coverage on the fallout from the Iranian elections this past summer, it seemed as though Michael Jackson died and took the public’s focus on Iran with him. The regime came down hard on the Iranian people and despite the scores of people, young people, children, and women who were beaten, raped, and killed over their democratic right to protest, the world forgot Iran.
All that changed yesterday. On the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover, the opposition came out in full force to show their on-going rejection of what is an illegitimate government. It was the first strong protest in about two months, a clear reminder to the world that this struggle for democracy in Iran is not over, and the desire is still there.
Neda’s mother also gave her first interview to CNN, where she recounts her daughter’s last moments, and her thoughts on Neda being a martyr for Iran.
Watch the video below and keep up the support for the Iranian movement for democracy- it is alive and well.