Jewish-American dancer, singer, and activist Montana Tucker shared a video on Wednesday wherein she and members of the Shiraz Dance Ensemble dance in honor of the Iranian women who have stood against the Islamic regime in Tehran.
Tucker shared the video, which was initiated and produced by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), on Instagram to her 3.2 million followers. She posted it along with Noor Pahlavi, the eldest child of former Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi.
View this post on Instagram
“This is dedicated to the women of Iran who stood fearlessly in the face of fanaticism and brutality to fight for their basic human rights,” Tucker wrote on Instagram.
“For 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, beaten to death for showing her hair. For Nika Shakarami, 16, whose body was stolen by the regime after her murder. For Sarina Esmailzadeh, 16, [who was] beaten to death by security forces for protesting. For Hadis Najafi, 22, who danced for freedom.”
The dance, choreographed by Iris Delshad Maymon, was filmed in Jaffa, Israel, CAM noted.
“For the thousands of schoolgirls and women who dared to burn their hijabs, cut their hair, and march in defiance of the Islamic Republic, knowing it could and had cost countless their lives. For the Iranians who want to reclaim and rebuild their country.”
Iranian women who opposed the Iranian regime
The video features images and short descriptions of Mahsa Amini, Nika Shakarami, Ahoo Daryaei, and Parastoo Ahmadi, Iranian women who opposed the Iranian regime. Amini and Shakarami were killed by the Islamic Republic.
“Iranian women must be supported in this fight. Israeli women, too, know the brutal impact of this regime and its proxies,” Tucker continued. “We stand TOGETHER, bound by the cries of ‘Women, Life, Freedom,’ against a regime that denies ALL of us dignity, safety, and choice.”
Within hours of being published on Instagram, the video amassed over 10,000 likes.
“This dance is our REBELLION. It’s a tribute to the fallen, a symbol of UNITY, and a call to action,” Tucker added. “To every woman fighting for her voice to be heard: we SEE you, we STAND with you, and we WILL NOT be SILENT.”
CAM Public Affairs Officer Natalie Sanandaji, a Persian-American Jewish woman, coordinated the dance project, CAM stated. Sanandaji is a survivor of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, when terrorists killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 others in southern Israel. Sanandaji was at the Nova Music Festival in Re’im.
“Under the shadow of the Islamic regime, the women of Iran are not just battling for their rights – they are fighting for their lives,” Sanandaji said. “For too long, their voices have been silenced, and their basic liberties denied. Yet, despite the brutality they endure, they continue to resist with inspirational strength.”
“The unity between Iranian and Israeli women is a testament to the power of human solidarity,” she added. “By standing together, they show that freedom is a universal desire transcending traditional religious, cultural, and political divides.”