Remembering Mahsa Amini: A catalyst for change in Iran

Do you remember Mahsa Amini?

She was the young Kurdish Iranian woman detained by Tehran's morality police in September last year, accused of violating the country's dress code rules.

Three days later, Mahsa passed away in the hospital after falling into a coma. Still, her family insisted that her death resulted from the torture she endured during her detention.

A year has passed since Mahsa Amini's death, and the impact of the incident has been profound within Iran.

Furthermore, it sparked angry protests in several regions of Iran, distinguished from previous demonstrations in the history of the Islamic Republic as they were led by women, young people, and university students.

Le Monde, the French newspaper, described it as a moment where "the current generation of Iranian youth does not submit to the oppression of the Tehran regime."

However, what followed Mahsa's death deeply unsettled Iranian authorities and paved the way for breaking taboos in Iran.

Moreover, women publicly removed their headscarves to defy the authorities, and others tore up images of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Even a supportive song titled "Baraye" (meaning "For" in Persian) emerged, symbolizing the things citizens lacked due to Western sanctions imposed on Iran.

The protests, which eventually diminished after several months, also complicated Iran's diplomatic relations with the outside world.

Additionally, the tense situation at that time exacerbated the complications faced by diplomatic efforts between Iran and major powers like Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States to revive the nuclear agreement.

The struggle of Iranian women for public freedoms, particularly regarding the hijab, has a long history. Mahsa Amini's case reawakened it.

So, will it ignite once again?