Middle East Research and Information Project

Critical Coverage of the Middle East Since 1971

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Nafiseh Sharifi

Nafiseh Sharifi is an honorary research fellow at the University of Exeter.

Soundtrack of Dissent—The Music of Protest in Iran
Iranians in Athens sing the protest song "Baraye" by Shervin Hajipour during a demonstration to commemorate 40 days from the death in custody in Iran of Mahsa Amini, October 2022. Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images.
Iran

Soundtrack of Dissent—The Music of Protest in Iran

In February 2026, one month after mass protests in Iran led to a government crackdown killing thousands, Shervin Hajipour released a new song from inside the country. Hajipour had become internationally known during the Woman, Life, Freedom protests of 2022, when his song “Baraye” went viral before he was arrested
Nafiseh Sharifi • 14 min read