SAEDNEWS: On rainy winter nights in Tehran, groups of women can be seen walking through the streets alongside men in spontaneous marches that have continued since the announcement of the leader’s death.
According to SAEDNEWS, Their chadors and scarves are soaked from the steady drizzle, yet many no longer even bring umbrellas. Despite the cold and fatigue, they continue to walk, chant, and carry flags.
In neighborhoods across the city, scenes unfold that resemble quiet but determined gatherings. From apartment windows, residents wave flags and smile at those passing in the streets. In one window, a young girl enthusiastically waves a small hand‑drawn Iranian flag. In another, a woman leans out while holding the tricolor and responds to marchers with smiles and kisses.
Many of the women in the processions move slowly and calmly, careful not to block traffic. Some have draped Iranian flags over their chadors, while others push strollers as they walk. Some quietly whisper prayers under their breath, while others chant slogans such as “Allahu Akbar.”
Observers say that the continued presence of citizens in the streets has played a role in maintaining order in the city during a tense period.
“No One Brings an Umbrella Anymore”
The atmosphere in Tehran has been cold and rainy in the days following the announcement of the leader’s martyrdom. Yet the weather has not discouraged those participating in the nightly marches.
Near Karoun Street in Tehran’s District 10, a group of women chant slogans while walking through the rain. Their clothes are soaked, but their expressions show little sign of discomfort.
When asked about the rain, one woman responds simply: “It’s nothing. For the sake of our martyred leader and for Iran.”
Energy From the Streets
Throughout the marches, gestures of support from residents watching from their homes create moments of encouragement for those walking below. A woman waving the Iranian flag from her window becomes, in the words of observers, “an energy boost” for the soaked marchers below.
Elsewhere, a small girl leaning out of a window waves a flag she appears to have painted herself, drawing smiles and cheers from the crowd.
Determination Despite Fatigue
Among the participants is an older woman who briefly sits on a curb to massage her aching leg. Despite walking with a cane and complaining of leg pain, she says she felt compelled to return to the streets after seeing calls online encouraging demonstrations.
“I stayed home for a few nights because the pain was too much,” she explains. “But tonight I decided to come out again. We cannot leave the field empty.”
In these gatherings, women stand shoulder to shoulder with men, sometimes even leading chants and waving flags at the front of the marches. Each participant contributes in their own way — through chants, flags, prayers, or simply by being present.
For many participants, the gatherings reflect a sense of unity and determination during a difficult moment, echoing a sentiment often attributed to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during the early years of the revolution: that women are among the true leaders of social movements.
