We have been following the development of a major popular uprising in Iran for months. It’s called the “Women’s Revolution”: a wave of protests that reflect long-standing discontent and old rhetoric but gained momentum after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. -He was called the “morality police” for improper use of the headscarf.
The process, which started with the condemnation of gender discrimination in the country and the burning of handkerchiefs in the squares, progressed to multidimensional criticisms of the regime, with men and women calling for the end of the Islamic Republic in various parts of the region.
The government’s response came with violence and repression. For weeks, the press and international human rights organizations have been exposing various abuses committed by the authorities during the demonstrations.
In addition to the arrests, reports say that Iranian police opened fire on unarmed people, including teenagers and students.
The latest episode was the arrest of actress Taraneh Alidoosti after a post on Instagram this Saturday where she appeared without a hijab and holding a banner with the slogan “woman, life, freedom” by protesters.
Alidoosti is a well-known name in the country and gained international visibility after starring in “The Apartment”, which won the 2017 Oscar, among others, in the “best foreign film” category.
Iranians are trying to draw the world’s attention to the crisis that is affecting the country over the internet. They invest in the use of social networks to make protests visible, and with this they try to sensitize key international actors. The spread of the hashtag #mycamaraismyweapon is an example of this.
But despite the commitment, the ability to spread this message has faced several hurdles. In part, this coincides with the massive mobilization of the international media to cover the World Cup, a topic that has been trending in parts of the planet in recent weeks.
This is partly explained by the political choices of leaders whose positions in this crisis may make a difference, but who choose to address other priorities they consider more urgent, particularly at home.
Among the Western powers, the focus in the United States and Europe is to reconcile the pressures caused by inflationary pressure, which mainly affects fuel and food prices.
This means that in the hierarchy of global crises, the war in Ukraine has exhausted a significant part of available resources and political capital.
In China, the “covid zero” policy has monopolized the attention of the government, which is currently trying to guarantee some stability and contain internal criticism over its strategy to deal with the pandemic.
It should not be forgotten that Iran has too many allies to be underestimated in geopolitical dynamics and should be included in the calculation of those who can raise their voices against the regime.
The largest of these, Russia, shares with Tehran its desire to counter and control the US influence, especially in the Central Asian region.
Not surprisingly, Moscow is Iran’s largest arms supplier. In addition to the Russians, Ali Khamenei’s government has the support of key groups in Syria as well as Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.
Even Qatar, whose headlines are now mostly football news, is seen as a key player in this conversation, not only because of its bilateral trade with Iran, but also because it is systematically involved in the financing of pro-Iranian forces. with Hezbollah.
We know that when it comes to international relations, countries tend to act only when their direct interests are threatened or when they see an opportunity to defend narratives that suit them in an external crisis. Not magnifying what’s going on in Iran is a matter of timing for some and a matter of political will for others.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.