Iranians in 2009 led the kind of street-protest that was in 2011 to inspire their Arab neighbours. Now, repression rules in Tehran. But in the textures of everyday life as much as in political or cultural currents the gulf between people and regime is evident, finds R Tousi.
There is calm and normality to be found in everyday urban Iran. But a series of conversations reveals a more fluid picture, finds R Tousi in Tehran.
The young student protesters flocking in defiance onto the streets and campuses of Iran are prepared to fight until the end, says R Tousi.
The Iranian state’s crackdown on protest after the flawed presidential election has led people to seek new channels for their anger and their hope for change. A vivid portrait of an Iran still in movement, from R Tousi. (This article was first published on 28 October 2009)
