The demonstrations are prompted by the events of September 16, when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini lost her life in the custody of the Iranian Morality Police. Mahsa Amini had been arrested on charges of not wearing her hijab as required by law.
According to our Iranian partner, the demonstrations should be seen in the light of Iranians' general dissatisfaction with the Iranian regime, which runs the country in accordance with Islamic law. Iranians want change: "Young people know that the regime is lying, deceitful and corrupt," he says. "Young Iranians are disillusioned".
In a 2020 survey conducted by the Dutch independent research unit GAMAAN, the general criticism of the regime is also expressed. 68% of the population believes that religious precepts should be excluded from national legislation, regardless of whether the majority in parliament are believers, and specifically, 72% of the population is against the requirement to wear the hijab in public spaces.
According to our partner, there has been an uprising among the population for a long time, but it has always been brutally crushed by the regime. "This time the anger is so great that I think it will continue," he estimates.
Thank you for praying for the country in this time of transition. That God will touch the people, the government and equip the church to communicate the love of God in Jesus at a time like this.
