The Revolt In Iran Is An Ethnic Minorities-Led Uprising

By Himdad Mustafa

Introduction

The ongoing protests against the Iranian regime can be defined not only as a women-led uprising, but also an ethnic minorities-led one. In fact, for the ethnic minorities that comprise almost half of Iran’s population (e.g., Ahwazi Arabs, Kurds, and Balochis), this is a “revolution” for liberty and basic ethnic and human rights of which they have been deprived not only by the Islamic Republic of Iran, but also by the former Persian regimes (e.g., under the Pahlavi dynasty) for almost a century. For this reason, this is as sensitive topic for the Iranian regime as it is for the Persian diaspora itself.

It is worth noting that the protests were sparked all over Iran following the murder of Jina Amini, the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who was beaten to death by the Iranian “morality” police. As Kurdish women’s rights defenders in Iran often say: “We are both women and Kurds; so, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, we are doubly accused.”  In fact, Jina Amini was arrested, tortured, and murdered not only because she was wearing her hijab too “loosely,” but also because she was Kurdish.[1]

Angry Mourners Gather At Amini’s Grave, Defying Heightened Security

Anti-government protesters are back to the streets across Iran on Wednesday to mark the 40th day since Mahsa Amini’s death, despite heavy presence of security and intelligence forces as part of a heavy-handed crackdown on rallies.

Videos shared online showed dozens of people gathered at Aichi cemetery in Saqqez, Amini’s hometown in the western province of Kurdistan, shouting “Kurdistan Kurdistan, the graveyard of fascists” and “Death to the dictator,” in reference to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iranian security forces have opened fire on protesters who had gathered in their thousands in Mahsa Amini’s hometown to mark 40 days since her death, a human rights group has said.