Farzat, a pseudonym for our interviewee, a man in his mid-30s from Iran’s Kurdish minority, has seen firsthand the violent repression by an authoritarian state. He is not alone in having experienced such dismal trials. Belonging to a group that constitutes approximately 10% of Iran’s population, he has lived through significant turmoil, including the protests that erupted in 2022 following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the religious police. Farzat’s experiences highlight the ongoing struggle against government oppression and the deep-seated frustrations of ordinary Iranians.
Farzat is originally from eastern Iran. After spending a few years studying in Tehran, he became a cab driver in Karaj, an exciting city just outside the capital. He confesses that being a taxi driver was never his aspiration profession. Economic difficulties forced him to take on this position. Yet, according to New Iran author Ali Vaez, in their conception, the current Iranian government is “living on borrowed time,” as rage against the regime deepens.
During the protests that erupted over Amini’s death, Farzat had joined protestors in marches where he witnessed violent suppression up close. In a 15-minute trip by car along the roads into town, he had already seen blood on the street and three corpses. Predictably, he suffered some deeply disturbing violence at the hands of law enforcement while protesting. He documented that security forces shot dead at least six protesters on a back street in Karaj, including a woman in her 20s shot chanting from her balcony.
As a result of his activism, Farzat has taken serious personal risks. In the last nine years, he has been arrested and jailed four times. He was under a serious charge of “contact with a hostile state.” This second accusation would subject him to a maximum of seven years in prison. Yet, even with these threats, his dedication to speaking out is as strong as ever.
He shares his perspective on the troubling evolution in government response towards increasing repression of protest. In 2022, the security forces responded first with rubber bullets. This time, they severely upped the ante and opened fire on protesters using live ammunition.
Farzat’s frustrations are only increased by the disastrous state of her country’s economy. He went on to share his frustration in assertive terms, noting that, “People can hardly earn $200 a month and that is not enough for four days.” This grim reality illustrates just how far the current regime has gone to curtail the rights of citizens. Consequently, national publics are less willing to accept poverty and suffering.
As the world continued to change, Farzat felt early hope in commitments from former US President Donald Trump. “In the end, it was Trump who dashed the hopes of the public at the final hour,” he said. However, he later expressed skepticism about Trump’s intentions, suggesting that behind-the-scenes negotiations with the Iranian regime may undermine genuine efforts for change. “Under the table he could be striking a deal with the regime,” Farzat said.
After decades of repression and economic hopelessness Farzat is certain that the people will not meekly accept their fate. Society will not kill itself to live in the national-corporate hellhole this regime wants to force onto its people. The people are far ahead of that,” he concluded.
