>ANSA-INTERVIEW/ 'The revolt of Iranian students beyond the canteen protest'

They call it the "canteen protest", but the revolt of students in Tehran against the soaring university fees, the terrible quality of food and the deterioration of dormitories is much more: it is the sign of a general discontent, where the high cost of living and the worsening of study conditions are added to the anger against the compulsory hijab, the moral police and political repression.

"The international media call it the canteen protest, but what is happening in the universities must be read in a broader context", explains to ANSA the Iranian teacher Hasty Dyie, 43 years old, a French teacher who, having fled her country after ending up in prison several times, has returned to Tehran, alongside the young people. "The student protests are not just about a meal or the price of food; they take place within a society that has been under pressure for years, which is now facing a very serious economic crisis, as well as repression and war."

Documenting the recent mobilization of university students are some videos released on social media and relaunched by Iran International and Jerusalem Post which capture the anger of the students of the Allameh Tabataba'i University of Tehran. "Death to tyranny, to the compulsory veil and to the moral police", the boys shout, giving voice to a society now on its last legs. The cost of living, access to essential goods and restrictions on individual freedoms are in fact intertwined with the daily difficulties of a population that has to deal with an increasingly uncertain future.

“What worries me most these days is the plight of ordinary people and how difficult daily life has become,” Dyie continues. "The war, flight and transport restrictions, as well as US sanctions, have put enormous pressure on everyday life.

The import and movement of goods have become extremely complex." The consequences of the crisis are felt above all in access to care. "Some medicines, once easily available, are now simply unobtainable or very difficult to find", continues the teacher. “For those who suffer from chronic diseases or depend on specific therapies, this is a truly frightening reality.”

A similar situation concerns many other basic necessities. Prices of food, transport and essential products have soared, while the population's incomes and purchasing power have not kept pace. “In some cases prices have increased dramatically and many families have had to give up things that were once part of everyday life,” Dyie observes.

Then there is a less visible aspect from the outside: the state of mind of a society that has already experienced repression and which today also has to deal with the consequences of war.

"I believe that society is exhausted, angry and, at the same time, very cautious," says the teacher. "The experience of past repression has made many citizens reluctant to take to the streets again, aware that the price to pay for protesting can be very high. The war has only increased that fear." Caution, however, is not the same as giving up one's claims. "I think this is a fundamental aspect for understanding Iran today: the absence of large-scale protests at a given moment does not necessarily mean that the population is satisfied. A part of society is simply very tired, cautious and worried about the future."

Perhaps it is precisely the courage of young university students that is entrusted with the most difficult task: giving voice to a discontent that many no longer have the strength or possibility to express.