Unveiled - by Jonathan Harounoff (Paperback)

About the Book

When twenty-two-year-old Mahsa Amini is killed by Iran's morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely, the most consequential women-led protest movement in the entire Middle East begins to unfold.

Book Synopsis

"Unveiled takes us inside the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement, sparked by the slaying of a young woman for wearing a loose hijab, in what became the most serious challenge the regime has faced in forty-six years. Harounoff has given us a nonfiction drama replete with heroines and villains, one that is sure to captivate readers." -PETER KANN, Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent and former publisher, The Wall Street Journal

In September 2022, twenty-two-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Jina Amini is killed by Iran's morality police in Tehran for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely. Outrage triggers nationwide protests. Women rip off their headscarves, setting them afire. Others cut their hair in open defiance. Key industries are brought to a standstill, and once-revered banners of the country's Supreme Leader are incinerated. It's the greatest challenge to the Islamic Republic of Iran in its forty-six-year history-not coming from a foreign adversary but from their own freedom-seeking women. Women and girls, perhaps for the first time in the history of the modern Middle East, take center stage in a nationwide uprising, clamoring for a freer Iran and chanting the now-viral battle cry of: "Woman, Life, Freedom."

Award-winning British-Iranian journalist Jonathan Harounoff, now serving as Israel's international spokesperson to the United Nations, demystifies the context leading up to these historic protests inside Iran and abroad and examines the potential future ramifications. With much of the global spotlight focused on the Islamic Republic's dangerous foreign policy agenda, Unveiled: Inside Iran's #WomanLifeFreedom Revolt pays tribute to the people of Iran who have paid the ultimate price for freedom.

"An accessible account of modern revolt that illuminates the resilience of Iran's people." -Kirkus Reviews

"Unveiled vividly portrays the unwavering resilience and courage of the Iranian people in the face of the regime's repression. It is no longer a question of 'If' a new Iran will emerge but 'When.'" -Nazenin Ansari, publisher and managing editor, Kayhan London

Review Quotes

"Unveiled takes us inside the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement, sparked by the slaying of a young woman for wearing a loose hijab, in what became the most serious challenge the regime has faced in forty-six years. Harounoff has given us a nonfiction drama replete with heroines and villains, one that is sure to captivate readers." -PETER KANN, Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent and former publisher, The Wall Street Journal

"An accessible account of modern revolt that illuminates the resilience of Iran's people." -Kirkus Reviews

"This groundbreaking book provides readers with a unique and frightening glimpse into Iran's totalitarian regime. Expertly researched and engagingly presented, Unveiled is an essential source for scholars, policymakers, and all those interested in understanding contemporary Iran." -MICHAEL OREN, former Israeli ambassador to the United States

"The regime may have brutally crushed the women-led democracy movement in Iran, but the movement is far from dead. It will be back and ultimately prevail. That is the hopeful message of Unveiled. The country is at a turning point and Harounoff shows us what a new Iran might look like." -ARI L. GOLDMAN, Professor Emeritus, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

"Through heart-wrenching testimonies, Unveiled tells us about the women and girls who fought back. Unveiled is indispensable reading about the reallife freedom fighters who risked their lives after the murder of Mahsa Jina Amini. This book goes beyond the failure of the movement and, for the first time, explores why it fell short in toppling the regime." -NEGAR MOJTAHEDI, Iran International journalist

"Unveiled delves into the Mahsa Amini uprising's global impact and its potential to shape a new Iran. Harounoff vividly portrays the unwavering resilience and courage of the Iranian people in the face of the regime's repression. It is no longer a question of 'if' a new Iran will emerge but 'when.'" -NAZENIN ANSARI, publisher and managing editor, Kayhan London

"Three years after Mahsa Amini's death, her legacy will not be forgotten, and Harounoff is front and center in this crucial effort." - David Christopher Kaufman, columnist and editor, New York Post

"Engaging and well-sourced." - Washington Free Beacon

"A powerful chronicle of courage and hope...This compelling book is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and a must-read for anyone passionate about freedom and equality." -Lisa Daftari, editor-in-chief, The Foreign Desk

"Unveiled draws attention to the people behind the headlines with care and purpose, as Iran faces a defining moment in its modern history." - Jonathan Sacerdoti, award-winning writer and broadcaster