By Zaid Taimur
This has reference to a letter written by Salil Gewali on March 18, 2026 titled “ We cannot support the war-like ambitions of World leaders.” The writer is relentlessly pushing the false image of Iranian women as oppressed, passive victims, silenced by mandatory hijab and desperate for rescue by the “free world.” while ignoring empirical strides in education and professional fields. Western media and Godi media perpetuate this narrative, that Iranian women and daughters are suddenly recast as helpless victims in desperate need of American missiles for salvation as if freedom is born from the fire of invading bombs. An Iranian woman who resists, who stands firm against foreign intervention, who declares “No to humiliation, no to occupation, no to colonialism!” cannot be used as an excuse for sanctions or invasion. So they must paint her as voiceless, oppressed, surrounded, and as victims, waiting for Western and saffron salvation.
This selective lens, amplified by figures like Donald Trump , Benjamin Netanyahu and saffron hoodlums overlooks data revealing Iranian women outperforming peers in the US and India across key metrics. A closer examination dismantles the plight narrative, spotlighting undeniable achievements. This erasure is deliberate. A woman who teaches at universities, defends her country, withstands sanctions, and exposes Western lies has no place in BBC, VOA, or The New York Times and Godi Media Why? Because she destroys their narrative—the fairy tale that freedom comes from war and liberation falls from the sky.
Writers like Salil Gewali ostensibly defenders of women’s rights and human rights, have been conspicuously silent on the sufferings of Palestinian women and 165 Iranian school girls torn apart by joint Israeli and US air strikes. His writings chime well with egregious twaddle propagated by the western imperialist and saffron brigade.
Iran’s female literacy stands as a testament to systemic investment post-1979 Revolution. UNESCO and World Bank data for 2022-2024 peg adult female literacy at 85.5-86.2 per cent, surging to 98.9-99.2 per cent for women aged 15-24. These figures eclipse India’s 70.3 per cent adult female literacy (NFHS-5, 2021; World Bank 2024). Engineering reinforces the trend: women account for 35-42 per cent of graduates, higher than India’s 29 per cent (AISHE 2023) and closing on the US’s 22 per cent (NSF, 2024)
This isn’t rhetoric—it’s measurable. Iran’s national literacy campaigns, blending compulsory education with rural outreach, have narrowed urban-rural gaps to under 5 percentage points for young women, per Iran’s Statistical Centre (2025). In contrast, India’s rural female literacy lags at 64 per cent, hampered by dropout rates exceeding 20 per cent post-primary (ASER 2023).
Iranian women comprise 56-63 per cent of university students, as per Ministry of Science data (2024-2025), with peaks at 65 per cent in some public institutions This surpasses the 56-58 per cent female enrolment (National Student Clearinghouse, 2024) in the US and dwarfs India’s 47-49 per cent (AISHE 2022-23),.Iran’s affirmative policies, including scholarships and quotas, have funnelled women into higher education since the 1980s. Over 2.5 million women enrol annually across 2,500+ universities, outpacing male counterparts in entry rates. In the US, rising costs deter 40 per cent of low-income women (College Board, 2024); in India, cultural barriers and safety concerns limit access, with only 24 per cent rural women pursuing tertiary education (NFHS-5).
Beyond academia, Iranian women excel in judiciary (33 per cent judges) and even piloting (10 percent of Iran’s air force trainees). Iran’s model, rooted in prioritising female literacy amid adversity, offers lessons for the Global South, challenging both American individualism and Indian patriarchy. As data affirms, Iranian women aren’t victims; they’re vanguard achievers. Western and saffron discourse must evolve beyond propaganda to engage this reality.
In India not only countless women wept and beat their chest but also men mourned his death, seeing him as a religious martyr. He was not only the political leader of Iran but also a religious authority. Khamenei is regarded as a Marja-e-Taqlid, or “Source of Emulation,” meaning many look to such figures for spiritual and religious guidance. However, this moment of mourning has quickly turned into yet another loyalty test on social media for Indian Muslims. How can we forget the horrifying Nepalese royal family massacre of King Birendra who ruled for 29 years until his death had become popular amongst the Nepalese populace in Shillong despite his brutal repression of democracy rallies in the 1990s. Countless Nepalese men in adjoining areas of Jhalupara, Barapathar and Mawprem shaved their heads and avoided consuming salts for 13 days. People have the right to mourn even when the figure being mourned is controversial. Grief does not always follow neat political logic.
