…..For almost four months, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been engulfed in protests by women against the oppressive Sharia law enforced by country officials. After the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police, a branch of law enforcement dedicated to the punishment of those violating the Islamic dress code, women across the country have taken up arms and begun a courageous campaign to petition for equal rights and freedom. 

…..Iran’s government, led by Shiite religious leaders such as Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been infamously meticulous in its execution of Sharia law to the point where over nine major protests have occurred during Khamenei’s reign. Each time, those protesting are begrudgingly tolerated by the regime until they turn into an annoyance that cannot be reasonably ignored any further. At that point, the military is utilized to silence the protesters, often resulting in multiple casualties. In the case of the Mahsa Amini protests, however, the people refused to be silenced. At the time of writing, at least 448 protesters have been killed by regime forces, including many teenage girls and young women. 

…..While these deaths would usually elicit a response of compliance from the Iranian people, as has been customary in the past, they have only spurred the protesters into a fight for independence against the absolute authority wielded by Khamenei and his associates. This phenomenon, combined with increased coverage of the unfolding situation by Western media has resulted in the current protests becoming a much larger threat to the power of the regime than those prior. 

…..As someone of Iranian heritage myself, I believe that these protests serve as a crossroads on the path of the country’s future. In recent days, the Iranian government seems to have begun an apparent review of its mandatory hijab law, alongside circulating rumors that claim the morality police will be disbanded. Even if these whispers of modernization are to come true, they must be taken with more than just a grain of salt. For any real change to be accomplished, reform of the entire system is necessary, as opposed to only a handful of volatile legislation. Iran is not a democracy, and those in power like Khamenei can reintroduce old laws just as quickly as they revoke them, with no opposition to resist such changes. Now is the time to make those massive reforms, as never before have the people held such power. With the momentum of the protests, western coverage, and sheer numbers at their disposal, the people of Iran are in the most prominent position since the 70’s to make permanent, real changes to their country, government, and consequently, their way of life. For this to come to pass, however, they need the support of the entire country. While young people, women, and those out of favor with the government are rallying by the millions, the support of the older, more religious conservatives is lacking due to both loyalty and fear. The government is no stranger to capital punishment, and many of the people avoiding the protests are doing so out of fear of retaliation and death. Once the entirety of the country realizes that the need for change is a stronger motivator than fear, the regime will have already lost control. For now, it remains to be seen how the events of the near future will transpire.