Public Comment

A local Iranian activist is urging millions of female Iranians and women throughout the Muslim world to oppose the compulsory hijab laws following the murder of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd by the “morality police”, - gangs of males who terrify, vulnerable women, beating them if they fail to follow ancient, archaic dress codes, the hijab or full ‘head to toe’ burkas. 

Masih Alinejad opposed “the hijab-burka” as a gross symbol of oppression, an attempt to make women invisible.” Kudos to the courageous Iranian men and women, including the large Iranian diaspora who denounced Iranian leaders who continue to subject women to such cruelty. Even Iranian soccer super stars acted in solidarity with the protestors, several sacrificing their professional careers by urging FIFA to ban Iran from the Word Cup. Afghan women demonstrated in the streets in support of their Iranian sisters. 

Let us hope the courageous efforts by Iranian women will not be in vain. It is a pity Iran’s earlier efforts creating a functioning democracy were torpedoed by a UK-US orchestrated coup and the imposition of the UK-US tyrant, the Shah of Iran in 1953 in a blatant theft of its oil. President Biden’s economic sanctions have only intensified the economic hardships of ordinary Iranians. The nuclear accord which the Trump administration arbitrarily revoked, in complete violation of Article 54 of the UN Convention on international treaties, should be immediately resurrected and the crippling economic sanctions lifted. Iranians should not be punished for Donald Trump’s capricious actions.  

Finally, God did not create women to be subservient to men. Women must be accorded the same rights as men to function as equal members of society. They are a huge untapped resource.