This powerful phrase has become a global rallying cry, symbolising the fight against oppression and the struggle for women’s rights in Iran and beyond.
 
In the late 1980s, I met Roia, a young Iranian refugee in Germany. At just 20, she had fled Iran overnight due to her opposition to the country’s religious regime, leaving behind her family and friends.
Her story moved me deeply—tears were shared as she spoke of her love for Iran’s youth and her longing for justice.
Now, 35 years later, Roia’s tears continue—this time for her nieces and the women of Iran, following the globally recognised protests that shook the nation.
The question remains:
“Are all the tears (still) not enough?”