Mehrangiz Kar is one of Iran’s most celebrated women’s rights activists. Along with her two daughters, she is busy these days translating news reports and informing the international community of the Islamic Republic’s most recent confrontation with the women’s movement in Iran, culminating in the arrest of 33 activists earlier this week.

In an interview with Rooz, Kar said, “Such treatment of women, which led to the arrest of 33 activists on the eve of the International Women’s Day, has only one meaning: the regime’s leadership has essentially decided to eliminate this day and cripple those organizations that want to celebrate and embrace it.”

“I recall,” continues Kar, “the first serious March 8 celebration after the 1979 revolution, aside from the one in 1980, took place in the year that Shahla Lahiji, Shirin Ebadi and I were in prison for attending the Berlin Conference. After our release on March 8, a number of friends, some of whom are in prison today, organized a gathering in our honor. None of us spoke at that gathering; we just thanked our friends. Nevertheless, I saw the first confrontation emerge right there. After the meeting was over, and when people were exiting the room, our cameras and recordings of the gathering were confiscated.”

Recalling the history of March 8 celebrations in Iran, Kar insists, “Prior to that, March 8 was alive in Iran; but it was mostly celebrated in homes. The regime’s male-dominated leadership decided to eliminate this day after the protests of March 8 1980 in opposition to the imposition of hejab. The plan was to replace it with a commemoration for Fatemeh’s [Prophet Mohammad’s daughter] birthday and add a religious tone to it. But our women were always present on the scene, albeit at times unorganized. Now, no matter how much we criticize Khatami’s government, we have to be fair and say that these movements were organized during his 8-year tenure. Many of the non-governmental organizations that are active today and fight for gender equality received their permits during Khatami’s administration from his minister Mr. Mohajerani – although they didn’t give me a permit then either.”

Kar continues, “What I mean is that, until then, there was no chance for an organized celebration of this event. It was necessary to obtain legal permits to enter the public arena and voice the demands. After getting organized and stepping out into the public domian, these demands were voiced through the publication of articles, interviews, books and participation in international conferences. From 2000-2001, the demand for absolute, rather than conditional, gender equality was voiced publicly.”

In the end, Kar voices her criticism regarding political parties in Iran: “Unfortunately, I have to say that the women’s movement in Iran lacks the support of political forces, even though powerful political parties still exist in the country. They have access to both the press and places for holding meetings. They can hold a gathering for International Women’s Day. Or at least, they can call for the release of political prisoners and reforming the Constitution’s positions on women in the events that they hold for other purposes.”