As protests sweep across Iran, I am in awe of the bravery, resilience and resolve of the thousands of women fighting for their freedom. I share the anger of those calling for truth, accountability and justice in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s death, a 22-year-old woman arrested and killed by the Iranian morality police for breaking hijab rules. I share the outrage of protestors fighting for women’s bodily autonomy, and their right to dress how they wish. And I share the indignation of those condemning the Iranian regime’s brutal response to the protests, which amounts to a flagrant repression of civil liberties. We cannot understand the intensity of these latest protests without understanding the wider political, social, and economic reality that many are risking their lives to change. More than 80% of the 4 million women who run households in Iran live under the poverty line. As women and their allies fight back against acts of police violence and patriarchal legislation, they are also resisting brutal economic conditions that push thousands of women into destitution, vulnerability and dependency. As we continue to show solidarity with women and allies risking their lives to oppose the current Iranian regime, we must also reflect on the role that governments elsewhere have played in pushing protestors to the brink. Decades of economic sanctions from the United States, the United Kingdom and others have destabilised the Iranian economy. This has exacerbated the appalling conditions that women face, reducing their access to education, employment, and essential sexual and reproductive healthcare. Neither religious fundamentalism nor Western imperialism provide a route to women’s liberation. I extend my solidarity to the thousands of women in Iran in their struggle for democracy, sovereignty, and freedom.