Nationwide Defiance: The "New Era" Uprising Shakes Regional Power to Its Core

Women, who led the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement in 2022, remain at the heart of the 2026 uprising. Their defiance of mandatory hijab laws and their presence on the front lines have become symbols of a broader demand for bodily autonomy and social liberty. The state’s attempts to enforce a new, stricter hijab law in late 2025 acted as a secondary spark, reminding the population that the regime’s priorities remained out of sync with its citizens.