Iranians mark their New Year with anger, fear, and defiance

Zahra is cleaning the windows of her flat for Nowruz, the 3,000-year-old festival marking the arrival of spring and with it the start of the Iranian New Year. A grandmother living in a Tehran suburb, Zahra would normally be looking forward to a Nowruz family reunion. But not in this time of war. With the internet blocked by the regime she struggles to maintain contact. "My children are restless. Not being able to hear their voices is driving me insane. This is truly the height of cruelty and oppression for a mother." Zahra is an Iranian voice whose name we have changed to protect her from official retaliation. One of those Individuals who would face persecution if their identities became known to their own government. They want to speak to the world but can only do so if we disguise who they are and their exact whereabouts. Those secretly sending material to the foreign media know how risky it can be. Quoting the words of Iran's ministry of intelligence, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said 10 people were recently arrested for "co-operating with foreign media" and two others for "creating psychological insecurity in society through cyberspace". This is the reality o