Iranian chess champion Mitra Hejazipour says proud of ‘boldness’ of protests

She was a grandmaster of chess and played in the national team of Iran until that day in December 2019 when, by competing without a headscarf under the colors of her country during a chess tournament in Moscow, her life changed.

Excluded by the Iranian federation, Mitra Hejazipour has since studied engineering in Paris. The 29-year-old looks admiringly at the movement born almost two months ago in the country after the death of Mahsa Amini.

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Her pretty brown hair is blowing in the wind blowing a light breeze on this autumn afternoon. Quite a symbol for Mitra Hijazipour who chose in December 2019 to defy the ban.

“At the time, women’s movements in Iran had a great impact on me. I dared to show that I refused to wear the veil. I wanted to be myself.”

Mitra Hijazipour

at franceinfo

Mitra was inspired by these young Iranian women who hoisted themselves on electrical cabinets and posed proudly without their veils, during the winter of 2018. Many of them were arrested. The photo of Mitra, without her veil, made the rounds of social networks and the sanction was immediate: “The president of the Iranian Chess Federation kicked me out of the national team, she says. I could no longer accompany the national team, which is very important in professional chess life. And also, I can no longer return to my country.”

Deprived of her family who remained in Mashhad, in the North-East of Iran, Mitra started her life again in France from where she follows the demonstrations in her native country.

“When I see the images and videos of the audacity of Iranian women in front of the weapons of the police, this movement is extraordinary! Its scale is unprecedented and testifies to the maturity of society.”

Mitra Hijazipour

at franceinfo

“I think it will continue and I hope it will result in changing the regime”continues Mitra Hijazipour who would like to see this regime disappear forever. “We have been suffering under the authority of the mullahs’ regime for about 44 years, she sighs. I think it is not possible to reform this regime. The corruption and crime they have done for 44 years is unforgivable.” “I feel like I’m living a dream, Mitra concludes when she talks about the young Iranian women of her age who demonstrate despite the danger. We never lived an ordinary life.”