“Irreversible Rift Between Society and the State”: Interview with an Iranian Journalist Vahid Mirzaei In late December 2025, a collapse of the national currency led to strikes in Tehran's Grand Bazaar. The protests quickly spread across the country. In response, the authorities imposed a near-total internet shutdown, after which the flow of reliable information from the country was practically cut off. Researcher Aisha decided to give up trying to piece together the “perfect” narrative and to just talk to real people from Iran. She reached out to four individuals who have been deeply involved in Iran's recent struggles. All of them left the country for different reasons, which is also a part of their story. Aisha asked them about many things: economy, repression, solidarity, the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, its legacy and its contested future. Every answer turned out to be different. Hearing those differences felt more honest to Aisha than any single summary ever could. 🔎 Read the full interviews here