Women in Iran: Beauty from ashes

OPINION:

In the heart of Iran, Christian women are at the forefront of a silent revolution. While Women’s History Month celebrates the freedoms enjoyed by women in the United States, it’s crucial to acknowledge the ongoing struggle for liberation from religious and political constraints faced by women in Iran following the Islamic revolution.

Born and raised in a Muslim family in Tehran, Iran, I encountered numerous challenges before moving to the United States at the age of 18. As an Iranian woman, my journey has been marked by emigration, economic hardship, cultural shock, arranged marriage, exploitation, abuse, divorce and single parenthood — a narrative that resonates with many women in Iran.

Subscribe to have The Washington Times’ Higher Ground delivered to your inbox every Sunday.

In Iran, women are systematically marginalized and relegated to second-class status in a deeply patriarchal society where male dominance prevails unchecked. Compulsory veiling laws, restrictions on travel without a husband’s permission and unregulated “morality police” create a culture of fear for Iranian women. Legal and societal norms perpetuate discrimination, denying Christian women equal rights in matters of marriage, inheritance, education and more.

Such discrimination, deeply entrenched within Iran’s legal framework based in Islamic law, casts a long shadow over the lives of women. They are left vulnerable in a system that favors conformity over justice.

It is not only the laws that bind Christian women in Iran. The weight of oppressive traditions and social stigma further restricts their freedom and agency, creating a hostile environment for their faith and personal growth. In communities where adherence to Islamic norms is paramount, Christian women face judgment. Even within their homes, they are not immune to the pressures of tradition and expectation.

According to the 2024 Gender Report from Open Doors U.S., “Women and girls commonly experience persecution within the private sphere, often behind closed doors or perpetrated by those already known to them within their existing communities and relationships.”

Despite facing persecution and restrictions on their worship, Christian women in Iran display remarkable resilience and faith, leading a spiritual renaissance that offers hope and transformation to their nation. Their unwavering courage and commitment to their beliefs pave the way for a future where peace, empowerment and spiritual renewal thrive.

As an Iranian woman who has undergone many of the challenges that women in Iran are currently facing, I was blessed to come to know Jesus in my journey while going through some of these life challenges, and by God’s grace, I have been empowered to overcome them and turn the ashes of the ruins of my life into a beautiful field.

The Lord allowed me to experience some of the most difficult challenges; all the while He was working on building my character, preparing me for something greater: a ministry to my people. A ministry to comfort those who are going through the same challenges and don’t know where to find hope, freedom, peace, healing and deliverance. 

During Women’s History Month, I honor the Christian women in Iran who persevere in building communities of faith amid adversity, while recognizing the ongoing struggle for freedom and dignity. Though the recent protests led by Iranian women are not inherently a Christian movement but rather a collective call for freedom, our ministry at Iran Alive delves into the profound essence of true freedom — the very freedom they yearn for yet may not actively pursue.

My personal journey has illuminated that genuine freedom is discovered in recognizing our identity as the daughters of The Most High God, drawing strength from the unyielding well of divine love and grace that surpasses all challenges. It is in this unwavering faith that we find solace, assurance in the promise that our Heavenly Father will generously bestow all good things upon His children.

To my sisters in faith, I urge you to press on, knowing that in Jesus, there is redemption for every trial and beauty waiting to emerge from the ashes of despair. May your unwavering faith continue to inspire and uplift those around you, shining as a beacon of hope in a world fraught with challenges.

–

With a passion “to live life on purpose,” Lily Meschi serves in ministry for Iran Alive as the Director of Partners Relations. Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Lily moved to the U.S. when she was eighteen and through a chain of painful hardships relating to her rights as an Iranian woman, Lily came to discover the freedom of Christianity through Christ.