But for their unpopular president, it’s a major worry. The veil in Iran symbolises much more than just a hair-covering garment. The death in custody of one young woman, hailing from the marginalised Kurdish-Sunni periphery of the official Shiite state, exposed the weakness of the Islamic Republic four decades after the 1979 revolution. Iranians have a lot to worry about, including the rising cost of living, hyperinflation, corruption, economic collapse, and isolation under international sanctions while the regime plays hardball in nuclear negotiations. For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the “Settings & Account” section. If you’d like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial. But they are required to dress modestly in public, which includes wearing the hijab as well as long, loose-fitting robes. What's happening with the protests in Iran? Iran’s morality police is the component of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), tasked with enforcing the country’s laws against immodesty and societal vices.

The explosive mix of public rage and regime suppression makes it hard to say who really won the day, much less the year. “It’s a mixed picture: on the one hand, society is miserable, angry, restive. On the other hand, Iranians have shown that the regime no longer calls the shots,” said Slavin. “It’s a very fragile moment for Iran.” ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ In the early evening of September 13 Amini and her brother arrived in Tehrān to visit relatives. As they left the train station, the Gasht-e Ershad seized Amini for “improper” clothing and told them that she would be taken to a detention centre for a corrective class on mandatory public attire. The Aminis protested—they had only just arrived in the city and were unaware of the new enforcement guidelines—and the officers responded with force. Other women detained by the Gasht-e Ershad that day reported that Jina Mahsa Amini was severely beaten in the patrol van for resisting the arrest.Iran's state broadcaster aired footage that appeared to show a woman identified as Ms Amini falling over after getting up from her seat to speak to an official at a police station — but the video could not be independently verified. What is Iran's morality police? Mahsa Amini's death after injuries sustained while in police custody for wearing an 'improper' hijab is an appalling and egregious affront to human rights," the official said. Protests following Ms Amini's death began on Saturday and have now spread to more than 80 Iranian cities. A year after Amini’s death, the state of the republic appears to be as frail as that of the 84-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. “People have been calling 'Death to the dictator' for the past four to five years. They hate him,” said Slavin.

A year after Amini’s death in custody, the figures may be disputed, but the facts are clear. “The government has very effectively crushed the protests that erupted last year. But anger at the regime is even worse,” said Barbara Slavin, distinguished fellow at the Washington DC-based Stimson Center. “The regime has been very effective in terms of repression, but it’s been a total failure at improving the lives of ordinary Iranians.” We call on the Iranian authorities to exercise restraint in response to ongoing demonstrations." How has Iran's government responded? You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many user’s needs. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here.

A human rights group said at least 31 civilians had been killed in the unrest, while state television put the death toll at 17. At 38, Pourzand belongs to the “Green movement” generation of protesters who took to the streets to challenge the results of the 2009 presidential elections, which denied a victory to the reformist candidate.

Since the 1979 revolution, women have been used as a political symbol by the Islamic Republic, with the veil promoted as the most manifest proclamation of its values. More than 40 years later, that political symbolism provided the seed for its own unraveling. Referring to the Iranian saying, “the fire under the ashes”, Slavin says the smoldering anger cannot be extinguished by a deeply discredited regime using the old repression techniques. “Iranians understand this is a long struggle, they are very determined,” she explained.

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