Women led public protests in Sabzeh Meydan, Rasht, in response to water shortages and power outages; the chants echoed a collective cry for the right to live.
On the evening of Wednesday, August 6, 2025, Sabzeh Meydan in the northern Iranian city of Rasht became the scene of a public protest against severe water shortages and recurring power outages.
The demonstration, which began around 7:10 PM local time, was marked by the prominent leadership and visible presence of women by slogans such as “Water, electricity, life — our fundamental right!”
Within minutes of the protest’s onset, security forces—many on motorbikes—stormed the crowd to forcibly disperse the demonstrators. Yet, the protesters, especially the women leading the front lines, stood their ground. They responded with defiant chants of “Death to the dictator” and “Death to the execution republic“— slogans that captured the resolve of a population no longer willing to remain passive in the face of governmental indifference and repression.
