How to Support Iranian Women is the title of an article published on the website of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). The article emphasizes the crucial role that Iranian women play in the struggle against the ruling clerical regime.
Mrs. Rajavi discusses the resilience and sacrifices of Iranian women in the face of severe repression, highlighting how they have become symbols of resistance and catalysts for change. She underscores the determination of these women, whose quest for freedom and equality is pivotal in the broader fight to dismantle a regime characterized by systematic discrimination and oppression. Mrs. Rajavi calls on the international community to support these women in their pursuit of a free and democratic Iran.
Following is the full text of the article containing an inspiring message to the women of Iran:
Iranian women fight until the end for freedom and liberation
The daily face of Iran remains bloodstained with executions, massacres, and the misogyny of the clerics. To maintain this medieval regime and establish an atmosphere of repression, the brunt of repression continues to strike down women.
Through deception and the disgraceful claim of combating “improper hijab,” they target women for oppression. Their goal is to subjugate women, strip them of their space and opportunities for social life, and trample their humanity with daily humiliation and insult. Misogyny and the objectification of women are the dark forces driving these oppressive actions.
The bitter tragedy of women’s oppression under the clerical regime is vast and cannot be fully captured in this brief article. Yet, the other side of the story shines brightly: Iranian women stand tall, embodying a remarkable resistance against one of the most misogynistic regimes in history. They have never bowed to the clerics’ oppression. For over four decades, women have endured the suffering of imprisonment, torture, exile, and displacement. Yet, they have not ceased fighting for freedom and equality. The mullahs and their political enforcers have but one goal: to safeguard the regime’s fragile grip on power. Through deceit and manipulation, they systematically trample on Iranian women’s rights, attempting to overshadow their radical struggle with misleading slogans.
Yet, Iranian women remain vigilant and resolute, fully aware of their rightful place in society. They respond to the clerics and their allies with unwavering anger and determination, refusing to accept anything less than the complete overthrow of this inhumane regime. Their fight for freedom and liberation will not cease until victory is achieved.
After a century of active participation in political and social struggles, Iranian women are now at the forefront of the patriotic resistance.
My message to the women of Iran is this:
My dear sisters, wherever you are in Iran, regardless of your age, situation, or condition, you can and must play your role in this emancipating resistance.
Act in whatever way you can—whether by supporting the resistance or by striking at the enemy.
If you have felt the regime’s misogyny with your flesh and bone, if you have no doubt that women have borne the brunt of this oppression, then also be certain that you, the conscious and free women of Iran, play a decisive role in the overthrow of this inhuman regime.
To the women who seek an end to the clerics’ oppression, who long to be freed from daily coercion and humiliation, and who dream of a society where both women and men live in freedom—I pay tribute to your unwavering resistance against the forces of darkness and urge you to stand at the forefront of this battle.
Your rightful place is on the front lines. Only there can you unleash your full strength and talent against this misogynistic clerical regime, shattering the myth of women’s weakness and opening the door to a new era of emancipation. You will discover that within every human being, whether man or woman, lies boundless potential. Though the reactionaries try to stifle and destroy it, once this potential is allowed to blossom, it becomes a force of immense beauty and power. With it, any problem can be conquered, and every obstacle— including the bloodthirsty clerical regime—can be swept away on the path to freedom.
Let me address the challenge you face: a lack of belief in your true and essential role.
Do not underestimate your power and significance. Do not believe that you lack the ability to make a difference.
This struggle is not about individual capabilities or shortcomings; rather, the fundamental question is this: Is it the duty of all people and conscious forces to participate in the overthrow of this evil regime?
The answer is unequivocal: you bear a vital role and responsibility in this fight. You can and must embrace this role on the battlefield of emancipation.
Have faith and know that no one can stop a woman determined to live freely from achieving her freedom—freedom from the chains we know all too well. You are not alone on this journey. Your sisters in the Iranian Resistance—the courageous women who have transcended weakness and now hold key leadership roles in this fight—are your strongest allies.
Excerpts from a speech by Maryam Rajavi on March 2, 1998, “Message to the Women of Iran”
