Iran’s raging anti-regime protests may be regarded as the "revolution of the new generation", but millennials and baby boomers are also playing a keen role.
Protests began in September after Mahsa Amini, 22, an Iranian-Kurdish woman arrested for not wearing her hijab properly, died in the custody of the country's morality police.
Her family claimed Mahsa was beaten and struck on the head several times, but the authorities denied the allegations, claiming she died due to an "underlying illness".
The protests were not the first time women have resisted the veil. Mahnaz, 36, an architect living in Karaj, removed hers four years ago.
“I felt more connected to the environment," Mahnaz says by Skype. "A sense of joy, being alive. And you think to yourself, 'Could life have been like this all along?'
“The hijab made me a stranger to myself, cut off from the environment. Yet there was a price to pay."
There was a mixed reaction from the people on the street. Some were surprised, some supportive, but on several occasions she was beaten by a paramilitary volunteer group called the Basij forces, hardline regime supporters.
Every time I leave the house, I mentally prepare myself for the worst. Being shot. Being raped. Being executed. As I walk out of the door, I make my peace with it
Mahnaz
The recent protests are not without precedent. In December 2017, Vida Movahed removed her scarf and stood on a platform in the artsy Enghelab (Revolution) Street in Tehran to protest against the mandatory hijab law.
Her protest led to sentence of a year in prison, but she was pardoned by the supreme leader. She started a movement called The Girls of the Enghelab Street, which expanded to other cities.
These girls stood on platforms, removed their hijabs, tied them to a stick and waved them as a form of protest. Twenty-nine girls were arrested for being part of that movement.
The most recent resistance against the government also carries significant risk. Two men aged 23 have been executed for taking part so far. Hundreds have been injured and hundreds more imprisoned.
"Every time I leave the house, I mentally prepare myself for the worst. Being shot. Being raped. Being executed," Mahnaz says. "As I walk out of the door, I make my peace with it.
"The protests are suppressed by two groups. One is IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]-affiliated forces who wear normal civilian clothes and people call them Lebas Shakhsi (plainclothes men).
"If they arrest you, it's the worst as no one knows where they will take you and the detainees often are found with severe injuries or at points dead.
“There is another group, the police. If they detain you, you will likely be placed in a prison, where hopefully there are rules and laws in place that will make it safer than the first scenario."
She says people are also using other methods to protest, including recent strikes in the country, and some are resigning from government positions.
Protesters are a younger, more tech-savvy generation, so social media is being used more prominently than ever before to organise and raise awareness of their aims.
Mahnaz says the Iranian Cyber Police “really care about how things are reflected on social media".
She had a visit from them after posting in support of the protests.
“They said the only reason they have not arrested me is that I don’t have many followers," Mahnaz says.
A new generation?
Protesters from earlier years are annoyed by the term "revolution of the new generation".
Negar, 42, a psychologist living in Tehran, says when she demonstrated in her youth, no one called it a young movement.
With a wry smile, she says this generation has the benefit of being supported by more open-minded parents.
Those of her age who have children have more to lose, and they fear that their children will grow up without parents.
"My sister is two years older than me and divorced," Negar says. "As much as she wants to play an active role, she is scared for her children.
"She doesn't care what happens to her but she is responsible for her kids, and if she is killed or arrested, no one can substitute for her as a mother"
She vividly recalls a mother who was begging Lebas Shakhsi agents to return her son to her.
“She was crying at their feet asking where her son was, telling them he has done nothing wrong and was just peacefully protesting," Negar says.
“I can’t get her voice out of my head.”
Bita, 60, a retired teacher living in Tehran, says she has taken an active role because she feels the weight on her shoulders of the 1979 revolution, which brought the hardline religious government to power.
She thinks she owes it to the young generation to fight for change.
"We made a mistake by blindly pursuing a major change without fully understanding the details it would entail," Bita says.
"It is my children and grandchildren who are paying the price for the actions of my generation."
She says young women, the largest sector of the protests, have been subject to sexual harassment by security forces. Some incidents have been caught on camera.
In one video, the police in uniform hit a young girl and then grope her breasts while she is on the ground.
"The violence perpetrated against people is unimaginable," Mahnaz says. "People are being tortured mentally using new techniques.
"You are called and threatened that you must cease your political activities or you will be summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence," Mahnaz says.
Nevertheless, the women feel achievements have been made. They believe more women are finding the courage to experience having the choice to wear what they want.
They say you can see significantly more women on the street without a veil, and claim this is becoming normalised.
“Another big win, maybe the biggest, is that the dark and unbreakable image of an undefeatable regime has shattered," Mahnaz says.
"Now a lot of people think it's just a matter of time for the new chapter to begin.”
Abu Dhabi GP weekend schedule
Friday
First practice, 1pm
Second practice, 5pm
Saturday
Final practice, 2pm
Qualifying, 5pm
Sunday
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps), 5.10pm
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Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Jetour T1 specs
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Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Palestine and Israel - live updates
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
