Precis

Almost a year since widespread protests erupted on the streets of Iran, young dissidents who continue to defy the country’s repressive regime have participated in secretly recorded interviews with Foreign Correspondent.

The protest movement was sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in custody after being arrested by the morality police for wearing her hijab too loosely.

Inspired and led by women, who took off their hijabs in solidarity with Mahsa, the protests gripped the nation for months.

The regime’s response was swift and brutal: protesters were beaten, imprisoned and executed.

The crowds dissipated but the mood for change did not.

For months, Foreign Correspondent has been communicating via encrypted messaging apps with young Iranians who are still involved with Iran’s protest movement.

Despite the risks they agreed to be interviewed to tell their personal stories, share their acts of defiance and reflect on the huge price they have paid in their fight for freedom.

Each one of them wants the world to know what is happening inside Iran. In the words of one young protester:

"This is my direct message to friends within Iran and outside of Iran who think these protests have ended. Friends, it has just started."

Episode intro. Young people with faces obscured, sit on chair in studio

Music

10:00

TEXT: THESE YOUNG IRANIANS HAVE BEEN FILMED IN SECRET LOCATIONS.

00:29

YASI: I feel nervous and a bit stressed.

00:33

TEXT: THEY'RE ALL INVOLVED IN THE PROTEST MOVEMENT THAT BROUGHT IRAN TO A STANDSTILL.

00:39

HASSAN: If I'm identified I'd possibly be in deep shit.

00:49

TEXT: THEY UNDERSTAND THE RISKS. THEY'VE CHOSEN THEIR DISGUISES.

00:52

AMIR: People who talk are not treated very well.

00:57

Woman looking at phone footage of protests. TEXT: THEY'VE APPROVED HOW THEY APPEAR ON SCREEN.

01:02

SARA: I lost a lot in this movement. My job, my comfort and my hope. I've really got nothing more to lose.

01:08

Amir on computer TEXT: FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THEM VIA ENCRYPTED MESSAGES.

01:22

THEIR VOICES HAVE BEEN SILENCED, UNTIL NOW.

01:35

AMIR: This is my direct message to friends within Iran and outside Iran who think these protests, this movement, this skin-shedding has ended. Friends, it has just started.

01:40

Tehran. Night GVs. Title:
INSIDE IRAN: THE FIGHT CONTINUES

01:56

NEGIN: The news of Mahsa's death came in mid- September.

02:09

Negin 100%

I remember that night Iran went into mayhem.

02:16

Phone footage of protests

This happened at Kasra hospital and from the footage I was seeing on my phone, there was serious traffic outside the hospital, people chanting and honking their cars.

02:18

CROWD CHANTING: "I will kill, I will kill, I will kill whoever killed my sister."

NEWS REPORTER 1: This anger stems from the death of

02:31

Photos. Mahsa

Mahsa Amini, a 22-year old who was arrested by the notorious morality police in Tehran. They accused her of wearing her hijab too loosely.

02:42

IRIBNEWS footage

NEWS REPORTER 2: The security forces have released this CCTV footage of Mahsa in detention.

02:57

Negin looks at news footage on phone

NEGIN: The first time I saw the video of Mahsa, to be honest, I was shocked.

03:05

Negin 100%

Because this girl was wearing the Hijab more properly than most people. Everyone was terrified because we all thought we could have been in her place.

03:13

Security footage. Mahsa collapses.

NEWS REPORTER 2: Suddenly Mahsa collapses. The authorities say she had a heart condition, but eyewitnesses say she was beaten up in the police van. A few days later, she's dead.

03:22

Negin 100%. Super:
NEGIN
STUDENT

NEGIN: What happened to Mahsa was very symbolic to me in a couple of ways. The first was that she was a Kurd, and considering I am a Kurd too, it had a double effect on me. I felt much closer to her, because we are from the same background.

03:46

And the meaning of her second name, "Jina", is "life", which gave me a strange feeling. For a person who had a short life, she brought a movement to life.

04:09

Mahsa's aunt at grave

MAHSA'S AUNT: "Jina is a martyr. Jina was martyred for all the young people. Jina kissed freedom for us.

04:20

Super:
MAHSA'S AUNT

I swear to god when she left my place, she was dressed more appropriately than me, than my children, or any of your children."

04:34

Negin 100%

NEGIN: I knew this incident would lead to something bigger and I was just waiting for it to happen.

04:46

Kurdish protestors

CROWD CHANT: "Women! Life! Freedom!"

NEWS REPORTER 3: Women, Life, Freedom, the words chanted by Kurdish protestors after the death of Mahsa Jina Amini struck a chord.

04:52

CROWD CHANT: "Women! Life! Freedom!"

05:07

Yasi 100%

YASI: Mahsa's death was like the safety pin on a grenade.

05:11

Kurdish protestors

CROWD CHANT: "Women! Life! Freedom!"

05:15

Protests

NEWS REPORTER 4: Massive protests have erupted in Iran after 22-year old Mahsa Amini died.

05:20

NEWS REPORTER 5: Protestors, many of whom are women, are taking to the streets across the country in rare displays of defiance.

05:26

Yasi 100%. Super:
YASI
STUDENT NURSE

YASI: There came a moment when I said okay, I need to be in this. Now is the time and I have to do whatever I can.

05:36

Protests

PROTESTORS: "Mahsa Amini!"

05:48

Yasi 100%

YASI: At the beginning, if we went out in the car, we started honking, creating traffic.

05:51

Traffic disruption protests, crowds on roads

Creating congestion and crowds. It started like this. Then chanting slogans.

05:58

Yasi 100%

And we blocked the crossroad. With people's help, we brought the rubbish bins into the middle of the street.

06:08

Protests

PROTESTORS: "Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!"

YASI: This is how I control my anger. By going in the street, you get to express yourself, because the real display of rage is out on the streets.

06:16

PROTESTOR: "We don't want the Islamic Republic!"

06:43

Negin 100%

NEGIN: I went to as many rallies as I could. I burnt my headscarf. A fire had been lit in the middle of the street. And not one of the girls was wearing a headscarf!

06:47

Women burning headscarfs at protest

NEWS REPORTER 2: Women in Iran set their headscarves on fire in fury.

NEWS REPORTER 6: In these numbers, taking off their hijabs or head coverings, it's like unlike anything we've seen before.

06:54

Women walking in traffic waving headscarfs

07:15

Women cutting hair in protest

NEWS REPORTER 1: Women have been at the forefront of this movement. In fact many women in Iran are protesting by also cutting off their hair.

07:22

NEWS REPORTER 7: They're just saying enough is enough.

YASI: It has become a symbol.

07:38

Yasi 100%

They want the world to know that this is my body.

07:51

Women cutting off hair

07:54

Yasi cuts hair

The government tells me what to eat. They tell us what to wear; what to read; what to do. All this because of our bodies. They tell us: what to wear; what to eat; what to read; what to do. All this because of our bodies.

08:04

Yasi 100%

When we get our bodies back, we will get our country back.

08:17

Tehran freeway, skyline

Music

08:21

Khamanei speech to military. Super:
AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI
SUPREME LEADER

OCTOBER 3, 2022

AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI: During the incident that happened, a young girl passed away. It was a bitter incident and we, too, felt sorry. But the reaction to this incident without any investigation, without any actual evidence, it was not enough for people to come out and make the streets unsafe. To create insecurity for people and disturb the peace.

08:35

Negin 100%

NEGIN: The regime's reaction was the worst they could have. They took no responsibility at all for the incident and every day, they added another lie to their lies.

09:10

Soldiers kick and beat women on street

Music

09:24

Negin 100%

NEGIN: Instead of apologising to us women, the situation was escalating more and more.

09:45

Protestors burn headscarfs

It was only a few days after [Mahsa's death] that Nika was killed.

09:54

Nika at microphone TEXT: NIKA SHAKARAMI, 16
DIED FROM MULTIPLE WOUNDS TO HEAD

09:59

Split screen to include Hadis singing TikTok. TEXT:
HADIS NAJAFI, 23
DIED FROM GUNSHOT WOUNDS

NEGIN: Then there was Hadis.

10:06

Split screen to include Sarina. TEXT: SARINA ESMAILZADEH, 16
DIED FROM MULTIPLE BLOWS TO HEAD

Then, one or two days after that, Sarina Esmailzadeh was killed and they reported this as suicide.

10:018

Negin 100%

NEGIN: One incident kept happening after another, and this brought people's fury to a boiling point.

10:34

Protests

CHANT: "Death to the dictator!"

NEGIN: The chants became much more intense.

10:40

Negin 100%

Before this you never heard things like 'Death to Khamenei'.

10:50

Protests

CHANT: "Death to the dictator!"

10:55

NEWS REPORTER 8: Protests have now spread

11:00

Map showing protests in cities

to up to 80 cities across the country.

11:03

CHANT: "Justice! Liberty! No to the mandatory hijab!"

11:28

Amir pushes curtain in studio. Super:
AMIR
COMPUTER PROGRAMMER

AMIR: If this revolution wasn't female led, I wouldn't have become involved.

11:35

Amir 100%

We were really angry. And with 10 to 12 of our friends, we decided that each of us would go out every day. One of us was shot, one of us was assaulted, one of us was arrested. One of our friends was imprisoned and she came out a totally different person.

11:45

Amir at computer

We came to the conclusion that we have to do something so we got hurt less. When the National Iranian Radio Television station was hacked

12:09

it was an extremely legendary thing among recent events.

12:24

Iranian news footage

NEWS REPORTER 9: The Iranian State broadcaster's evening news was suddenly interrupted.

12:30

NEWS REPORTER 10: On screen revolutionary slogans accuse Khamenei of having blood on his hands. They run for several seconds, alongside pictures

12-39

Amir watching TV station hacked footage

of four young women who've died as protests sweep the nation.

AMIR: It was too damn inspiring. I actually decided

12:46

Amir 100%, at computer writing code

to start hacking things I can. I locked myself in my room for one week and survived only on cigarettes and coffee.

12:55

There was an insistence that students attend classes and the students who didn't attend on days when rallies were held encountered problems. And they were really in trouble.

13:13

I hacked our university's website and made the database relevant to the students' absences totally inaccessible. We had one war going on in the streets and one war going on through the internet.

13:26

Man changing slogan on wall.
TEXT ON SCREEN:
Police Servant of the people.
Police Killers of the people.

Music

13:47

Hassan puts on disguise. Super:
HASSAN
ARTIST

14:00

Hassan designing and painting slogans

HASSAN: I was present at all of the demonstrations. I was beaten, struck by batons, tear gas, on one occasion I fainted. I designed slogans, I wrote slogans. Many nights, almost every night, I created graffiti.

14:10

Hassan 100%

I was sitting at my computer, thinking about new slogans and designing stuff relevant to the revolution. Next to me I had a load of printouts to stick on the walls, about 500, 1000 print outs.

14:38

Hassan painting slogans

There was a door knock. Two door knocks. The knocking was continuous... Knock, knock. I was petrified, thinking of what to do next. I cleared up all the papers, everything,

14:54

Hassan 100%

and burnt them in the toilet. It was scary times, you would think they have come to get you, even if you heard a fly buzzing. You were scared whether they came to arrest you or not.

15:09

Hassan looking out window

You'd be scared of a shadow. In that situation you become more suspicious, more paranoid, more pessimistic. You started fearing everybody.

15:23

People flee police. Police force into apartment

NEWS REPORTER 11: Iran authorities say that 1,000 people have been charged in Tehran over the anti-government protests.

NEWS REPORTER 12: And the police have moved in with clubs and sticks and live ammunition.

15:38

Pole flee at railway station. Police fire on streets

Music

16:20

Photos. Wounded protestors

16:29

YASI: "Combat bullets are being shot! Combat bullets are being shot!".

16:30

Yasi 100%. Super:
YASI
STUDENT NURSE

You'd hear this and you'd completely freak out there. I was seeing what was happening whenever we went out.

16:34

Yasi packs first aid supplies

I started taking bandages, band aids and alcohol for example. It was said that if tear gas is thrown, you have to have vinegar.

16:44

Yasi 100%

This day, within maybe 10 to 15 metres of me, a young boy was shot. In this area.

16:59

Yasi packs first aid supplies

I've never had to remove any object out of anyone's body. But I've seen it done. I know how it's done.

17:12

Yasi 100%. Shows bullet

I was tearful, but I was able to take this out of his shoulder. From here. I've kept it as a memento. It's a bitter reminder that something good happened, and I was able to help someone.

17:22

Drone shot. Tehran, night

Music

17:42

Sara in front of mirror. Super:
SARA

SARA: I believe this movement had a high price and the women suffered the most as a result.

17:54

Sara 100%

One morning when my sister went to work, I was at home like any other day. I got a call telling me to stay calm and not to stress and that my sister had been arrested. When I heard that, my heart stopped. I thought that I would never see her again.

18:18

'Evin House of Detention'. Protestors

18:51

Sara 100%

It was horrifying. The crowd had become mixed with the families of those executed that day. I'd imagine if she were raped.

18:56

Prison

Imagine you aren't able to talk and eat for two months, or see the light, the sunlight coming in an enclosed cell. When she was released from prison after two months she didn't talk to us much. She had distanced herself. I felt like my witty, humorous and happy sister was gone. She had changed a lot.

19:16

Family photos of sister, bedroom

All her friends distanced themselves from her. "How come she was the only one released?!She must be a spy! Be cautious!" She was very lonely. I heard the dogs barking, especially her dog who came to me begging me to do something. I sensed that something had happened. I saw her sprawled out on the floor struggling to breathe, her mouth foaming. I just screamed as loud as I could. The neighbours came out into our garden.

19:51

Sara 100%

She looked like a corpse. When she became conscious, she said: "You should've let me die".

20:36

Billboard on building/Amir

AMIR: The government answered to our basic questions of life with gun fire, with nova gasses, with imprisoning the innocent.

21:00

Police smash car windows

HASSAN: The regime's first suppression tactic was to arrest many people.

21:11

Hassan 100%. Police shoot at camera

They killed many and arrested many thousands. They created an atmosphere of fear. They were in cars and on motorbikes.

21:23

Khamanei walks with military officers

The regime is unable to accept, with their tough religious core, they cannot accept women being in the frontline. What does the Islamic Republic do? It executes the men.

NEGIN: I knew the regime would take their revenge. And they did.

21:36

Negin 100%

One of the worst incidents in this whole period was when they executed the first person, Mohsen Shekari.

22:02

Mohsen singing

He was only 23 years old. I cannot explain what I felt at the moment. I was really bad.

22:13

Negin 100%

I couldn't believe it at all. I couldn't believe that someone would be executed for protesting against the regime. He didn't want anything but freedom.

22:24

Mother screaming and wailing on street

His mother came out and started yelling his name 'Mohsen'. This shook me and her voice still reverberates in my ears sometimes.

22:33

Photos. Majid with mother

HASSAN: There was a guy, a 20 year old named Majidreza Rahnavard.

22:57

Hassan 100%

I'm getting very emotional now. He was arrested in the streets.

23:04

Majid in blindfold TV interview

This TV reporter asked him if he wanted to say his last words. He said "I do. I request that people and my family not mourn at my grave."

23:18

MAJID: "I don't want them to cry on my grave."

REPORTER: "Don't you want them to pray? Don't you want them to recite the Quran? What else?"

MAJID: "Don't pray. Just be joyful. Play joyful music at my funeral."

23:129

Hassan 100%

HASSAN: Wow! What a historical moment! For someone to say a big "No" to history and religion.

23:42

Photo. Majid hanging. TEXT:
MAJIDREZA RAHNAVARD WAS HUNG IN A PUBLIC SQUARE

Music

23:53

Tehran GVs

24:04

NEGIN: After the trials, many people wouldn't come out into the streets.

24:19

Negin 100%

The excitement of coming out into the streets and changing the regime all waned down. I remember that it was maybe one or two months after the beginning of the movement. I felt I had to go out and chant slogans.

24:29

Negin yelling from balcony. Neighbours join in

"We don't want the Islamic republic!" I've got the video. "Death to Khamenei!" I started chanting and a few seconds later I saw people come out on their balconies. I'm getting emotional. Suddenly from near and far, for half an hour, you could hear people chanting.

CHANTING: "Death to Khamenei!" "Death to the dictator!"

24:48

Yasi

YASI: Some people think that the revolution has ended. The streets are quiet. But I don't think so. It hasn't died down in my life. Taking off the hijab has become the greatest symbol of this revolution. The fact is the government fears us. Now, we don't fear the government. We have become stronger.

25:32

They fear that now that I'm not wearing my shawl, during the summer I might wear a top. I might wear a t-shirt.

26:04

Hassan

HASSAN: It's a massive uprising against what has been casting shadows on us for thousands of years: religion. What happened is way broader and we shouldn't reduce it just being a revolution. We've had many revolutions where nothing changed.

26:15

Something more extraordinary happened. The perception of men, Iranian men, changed towards women. Each and every woman and girl who passes you in the streets and has no hijab, she is a revolution, an uprising walking right in front of you.

26:32

Sara

SARA: Who has not changed in the past few months in Iran? We got to know our society and on top of it, we got to know ourselves better. We have no one except ourselves. My mum, sister and me, and that we must stand up on our own feet stronger than ever.

26:58

Negin

NEGIN: After these incidents, I don't wear a hijab. I didn't wear a hijab before, but now I totally don't wear one. People have completely shifted their thinking towards hijab and they are much more relaxed.

27:19

Yasi

YASI: It's a very difficult journey, because it's true that you're in a revolution, but you have to live your life. But we're on the right path.

27:48

Women in city without hijab

AMIR: We are not at the same people we were six months ago. We don't even resemble who we used to be. We don't even remember who we were before Mahsa's death.

28:10

Amir

We are totally different people. 80 million people have changed. The one thing that I deeply believe and I'm so sure about is that we are not going back.

28:24

Drone shot over Tehran

YASI: Be sure that at the end there is freedom. The ideal Iran, the one we dream, of we'll achieve that freedom.

28:53

Yasi

Be sure that one day, whether I'm here or not, we'll have that freedom dance.

29:04

Negin dances

Credits [see below]

29:22

29:11

Out point

29:52