*The writer wishes to remain anonymous out of concern for the safety of her family in Iran.

I lived in Iran until I was 10 years old, and I have since visited three times.

Beginning at the age of six, I was required to wear a uniform at school which covered my entire body and hair. 

When I visit, I have to completely cover up, even though I don’t believe in Islam.

 Even though I’ve never been arrested by Iran’s “morality police,” I have memories of seeing other girls and women get arrested by them because their hijab wasn’t “proper” enough. If they resisted, they would get beaten. 

Masha Amini was murdered on Sept. 16 by Tehran’s morality police. 

Her “crime?” “incorrectly” wearing her hijab. 

When I first heard this news, I was filled with rage and sadness. If she lived in a different country, or was not a female, she would be alive today. 

Since then, mass protests have broken out across Iran and throughout the world. Iranians are not only protesting against the mandatory hijab, but protesting for regime change. They’ve been chanting things such as “death to the dictator” and “death to the Islamic Republic.” 

It is rare to see an Iranian woman cover her hair after she leaves the country because hijabs are not our traditional clothing. Iranian men are not the ones making their wives, daughters, and sisters cover up; it is the regime.

In a speech at the United Nations on Sept. 21,  Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi said that “Iranians have human rights and women wear hijab by choice”. But that is demonstratively not true. Obviously, there are some women who wear it by choice, but most do not.

Before 1979, Iran was a monarchy, run by Shah Mohammah Reza Pahlavi. Under the monarchy, Iran was not as it is today. Fundamentalist religious laws were not imposed on citizens. Women had the freedom to wear whatever they wanted outside and to do what they wanted. 

After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, a new regime was introduced- a theocracy. The Shah was trying to modernize Iran, while the Islamic Republic is trying to bring Iran back to the period of the Arab / Muslim conquest of Persia 1400 years ago. 

For example, In Iran, the Quran is one of the mandatory subjects that you learn in school and universities, no matter your religious beliefs. Girls are also required to wear school uniforms, which fully covers your hair and body, beginning in first grade. You are denied an education if you do not wear the uniform. 

Throughout the 43 years of oppression since 1979, Iranians have been protesting. Yet the cries for freedom have rarely been heard by the world. 

In 2009 Iranians protested fraudulent election results. The Iranian government shut down the internet and all forms of social media. Thousands of people were arrested; many were tortured; dozens were killed. 

This is repeating now in Iran.

Iranian security forces have already killed over 100 people and arrested and hurt so many other protestors, including the brave female reporter who let the world know about Mahsa Amini. 

Most of the people killed have been teens and young adults. Students have protested at many Iranian universities, including Sharif University of Technology, known as the MIT of Iran. Protesting students were fired upon with rubber bullets and paintballs, were beaten and arrested. These are the most elite students in the 

Most recently, the story of Nika Shakarimi came to light, which brought tears to my eyes. She was a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly pursued by regime forces after burning her hijab at a protest. Her family found her body in a morgue ten days later. 

The Iranian regime claims that she fell from a building under construction, possibly after being thrown. Her family members who previously disputed the government’s story now seem to have been forced to confirm the official account in televised statements. 

Many in Iran believe that she was raped and tortured for eight days before being brutally murdered by security officials.

Her “crime”? Asking for basic human rights.

Although I’m glad the whole world has finally heard Iranians’ voices, world leaders need to take action and actually help the people of Iran; “thoughts and prayers” won’t do anything for them. Sanctioning the morality police is also useless. Not only is Iran killing its own people, but it has been killing people all around the world as well. 

What’s happening in Iran is not just protests; it is a revolution. Iranians want a revolution to get rid of the Islamic regime forever.

I am tired of this oppressive theocratic Islamic regime. Iranians want to see it overthrown.