February 11, 2023 marks the forty-fourth anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran. At this time of year, Iranians have an annual discussion on what has happened to their country since 1979 and debate the many facets of the Islamic revolution that led to the ouster of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. While there are disagreements over many aspects of the revolution, most Iranians agree that the country is in a far worse situation because of it. For instance, Faezeh Hashemi, a former parliamentarian and daughter of former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, stated that she would not have participated in the 1979 revolution.
