Why Expressions of Joy Can Become Acts of Resistance for Iranians in Times of Crisis 

Footage of Iranian diaspora communities dancing and celebrating in the West has circulated online since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran. We typically expect populations connected to a country in crisis to display visible grief, fear, and anxiety. It seems strange, and even unsettling, to see so many Iranians dance and celebrate in moments of political upheaval. Their reaction seems paradoxical. Why do scenes of war and uncertainty provoke celebration rather than fear amongst members of the Iranian community? 

To answer this question, we must consider the lasting psychological impact of living under an oppressive regime. Even after leaving the regime, many continue to carry what might be called “the invisible chains of fear.” 

For decades, life in Iran has been shaped by a political system that closely regulates public behaviour and personal expression. Iran’s political system is a theocracy, in which religion is deeply embedded in law and public life. The Iranian regime encourages mourning and glorifies martyrdom (death or suffering in the name of faith and religion). These narratives of mourning and martyrdom are systematically promoted through state propaganda in education, public discourse, and the media. For example, national holidays are usually centred around the commemoration of the death of prominent religious figures. 

Moral values

The extensive televised collective mourning that followed the assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani in 2020 is a great example of the regime’s propaganda. Iranians who attended school in Iran can also recall the glorified story of Hossein Fahmideh in their school textbooks. The story recounts a 13-year-old boy who attaches a grenade to himself and blows up an enemy tank by sacrificing his life. Stories like this are used to instil a sense of duty to defend the Islamic regime and align citizens with its moral values. 

Decades of living under such political pressure can create a fear that shapes how people speak, think, and even celebrate. Over time, this fear forces people to learn to regulate themselves even when no authority is present, and an invisible chain slowly forms between individuals and the regime. 

The regime's external control becomes internalised, and the control gradually shifts into self-surveillance. The chain will no longer need to be imposed by the state; it becomes something people carry within themselves. But the weight of these chains often persists even after people leave the oppressive state. With every taste of freedom, they are reminded of the restrictions their loved ones continue to live under at home.  

Moments of resistance

The regime’s control and restrictions are endless. Public expressions of joy and celebrations have long been restricted by the Iranian regime. As a result, dance and celebrations have taken on a political meaning. During the ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ movement in 2022, online videos showed Iranian women dancing while burning their headscarves. These were not acts of celebration, but moments of resistance and attempts to break the invisible chains that regulate how women should look and behave in public spaces. 

Today, we see the parents of young protesters dancing and clapping as they mourn the death of their children from the protests in December 2025. They are dancing to the rhythm of music, but their faces tell a different story. 

Perhaps when Iranians dance in moments of political upheaval, they are not celebrating war; they are expressing a collective act of unity, solidarity, and rebellion all at once. The question is not why Iranians dance during this time, but what this dance means to people who continue to carry the weight of invisible chains of fear to an oppressive regime. 

A version of this opinion piece ran in The Yorkshire Post on Saturday March 7.