Two years ago, Atousa joined protests against Iran’s rulers. The protests were crushed by forces like the Basij militia, which Reza supports. This week, Iran will have a presidential election, and the political views of Atousa and Reza still differ greatly. Their differences reflect a larger split in Iranian society.
Atousa, now 22, refuses to vote in the election to replace Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash. She believes voting is pointless. “This election is a circus,” she said. Atousa thinks the president has no real power in Iran, where the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, controls major decisions.
Reza, 26, is a devout member of the Basij militia, he plans to vote, seeing it as his religious duty. Reza believes his vote will strengthen Iran’s system, he supports a hardline candidate who advocates for economic self-sufficiency and stronger ties with countries like China and Russia.
All six candidates, five hardliners and one moderate, are trying to appeal to young voters. About 60% of Iran’s 85 million people are under 30. Candidates are using social media to reach these young voters.
Atousa joined the 2022 protests after the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died in police custody. The protests were the biggest against Iran’s rulers in years. Atousa was arrested and expelled from the university, ending her dream of becoming an architect. She is sad about the protests’ outcome. “I thought finally the change will come,” she said. “But the regime is still here.”
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Reza, from a low-income area in south Tehran, blames the protests for increased pressure on Iran from Western countries. “I wish the protests had not taken place,” he said. Reza believes the protests gave Iran’s enemies an excuse to impose sanctions.
The election will show how deep the divisions in Iran are, some Iranians are calling for an election boycott, using the hashtag #ElectionCircus on social media. Atousa and Reza, both born after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, have different regrets about the 2022 protests but agree that the events have left a lasting impact on their lives and their country.
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