What Iranians Want

Women, Life, Freedom

By: Arash Azizi

Narrated by: Sara Bahadori

The first major book on the uprisings in Iran in 2022 and 2023

On Tuesday 13 September 2022, all Mahsa Amini has planned is a day shopping in Tehran. Her birthday is next week. But she is arrested as she comes out of the subway—the Guidance Patrol deem her hijab inadequate. On Friday she is pronounced dead. By Sunday, women have taken to the streets across Iran, setting their headscarves on fire and cursing the Supreme Leader. Months later, workers down their tools and businesses close. The battle-cry everywhere: Women, Life, Freedom.

This isn't a passing protest wave; something has changed irrevocably. Arash Azizi guides us through Iran ablaze, history being made in real time. From an International Women's Day celebrated inside Iran's most notorious prison to mass strikes in Kurdistan, ordinary Iranians are taking risks to fight for a better future.

Even as the regime spills blood in retaliation, Iranians have not given up. Today one thing's clear: no Supreme Leader can turn the clock back. A different Iran is within sight; Azizi shows us what it might look like.

©2024 Arash Azizi (P)2024 W. F. Howes Ltd

A good book poorly narrated

A native British or American narrator would have pronounced the Iranian names better than the Iranian lady who narrates this book. the book itself, however, is a well-written chronicle of of the brave and free-spirited Iranian women's decades-long struggle against the misogynist, regressive, and corrupt regime of mullahs.

That an Iranian woman has been chosen to narrate the chronicle is fitting and commendable. That she butchers the Iranian names with her pronunciation of them is disturbing.

Important book to read

‏In this binary world of good and bad, many in the west are seeing Iran as the source of evil due to demonization by elected officials that want wins popularity with creating enemies sometime fake ones. It is wise to read this book to learn about Iran’s people, what motivates them and their challenges with Iranian leadersip