Pirouz and the Iranian People

A Shared History of Survival

by Shirin Khanoom

TheAsiatic cheetah, once a majestic predator roaming the vast deserts of Iran, is now on the brink of extinction. On February 28th, 2023, the last known surviving Asiatic cheetah cub born in captivity in Iran, Pirouz, died at the age of 15 months. Pirouz’s death served as a devastating blow to the individual and collective efforts made by Iranian activists to save this critically endangered species. Pirouz’s death fueled public frustration towards the Islamic Republic– Iran’s governmental body. This regime has inflicted environmental challenges that harm the health and well-being of residents and the indigenous fauna of Iran, including the Asiatic cheetah.

The Asiatic cheetah, also known as the Iranian cheetah, is endemic to Iran. Over the past century, the population of Asiatic cheetahs has declined dramatically, from an estimated 100,000 in the early 1900s to less than 50 today. Habitat loss, poaching, and fragmentation of their range are the primary causes of their decline. Additionally, the Islamic Republic has contributed little care or resources towards conservation efforts that protect, care for, and continue the survival of this population. Despite a lack of funding, conservationists in Iran have initiated programs in attempts to save the species from extinction, including captive breeding programs. However, these programs have not been very successful as they lack government funding and support, with only a handful of cubs born in captivity, most of which do not survive. Without government support, volunteers in the program have limited resources to take care of this population.

Pirouz was one of the few Asiatic cheetah cubs born in captivity in Iran. Pirouz was born on December 23, 2017, at the Asian Cheetah Breeding Center in Khar Turan National Park in Tehran. His birth was a moment of hope and joy for the conservationists working to save the species. Pirouz was one of three cubs born from two Asiatic cheetahs named Iran and Firouz– both of whom passed due to poor food quality. Pirouz remained the only surviving cub out of his three siblings. One of his brothers died on May 4th, 2022, due to malformations in the left lung, while his second brother died two weeks after from “poor milk quality.” In addition, Pirouz’s health was consistently a concern throughout his life, and he continued to struggle with several health issues since his birth. Doctors at Tehran’s Central Veterinary Hospital began dialysis procedures as a result of Pirouz’s onset kidney failure, which started on Tuesday, February 20th, 2023. Despite the best efforts of the caretakers and veterinarians, Pirouz’s condition worsened, and he died on February 28th, 2023, due to kidney failure. Pirouz’s death was a significant blow to Iranian animal rights and conservationist efforts. He was the last surviving Asiatic cheetah cub born in captivity in Iran.

The deaths of these cheetahs drew widespread criticism prompting Iran’s Department of Environment to set up a fact-finding task force to assess negligence in the care of these cheetahs– though their findings were ignored and pushed aside by the Islamic Republic, which held little regard for the matter. Pirouz’s life and death have a broader symbolic significance in the context of Iran’s political and social climate. Iran has been facing increased widespread protests starting with the death of Zhina Mahsa Amini. The country’s strict government has subjected the people of Iran to a number of environmental challenges, including water scarcity and air pollution, along with human rights violations. The government’s inaction in addressing these issues has had a negative impact on the country’s ecosystems and, by extension, its people. Out of sheer frustration with the lack of basic necessities, resources, and rights, the Iranian people took to the streets to protest, demanding political and economic reforms. The government’s response to these protests has been harsh, with the arrest, imprisonment, and execution of activists and everyday Iranian citizens. The people of Iran and Pirouz the cheetah are all victims of the Islamic Republic’s ignorance and mistreatment–death often serving as capital punishment for solely existing under this political rule.

In this environment of repression, Pirouz’s life and death served as a symbol of hope and resilience. He became a symbol and icon of the current wave of protests against the Islamic regime after Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Shervin Hajipour mentioned the possible extinction of the Asiatic cheetah in his revolutionary song ‘Baraye.’ Before its Grammy award, Shervin’s song became a viral sensation among millions of Iranians who have been protesting against the Islamic Republic’s dictatorship for nearly six months to the present day. The title of the song ‘Baraye,’ which means “for the sake of,” is consistently repeated at the start of every line of the song, which is composed of a collection of tweets by Iranians bemoaning the political situation in their country: “For dancing in the streets; for the fear of kissing; for Pirouz and its possible extinction,” and “for women, life, freedom.”

In the aftermath of his death, social media has exploded with photos and artworks created for Pirouz to pay tribute to his passing and mourn the extinction of the Asiatic cheetah. Pictures and videos of Pirouz’s last moments in the hospital were scattered across the internet, fueling anger toward the Islamic Republic’s’ lack of care and negligence towards the endangered species. As Pirouz’s name began trending on social media, activists used this opportunity to speak about the environmental conservationists who have been jailed for criticizing the Islamic Republic for its lack of environmental awareness and policy. Even though Pirouz’s life was short-lived, his birth and existence gave hope to the people who believed in the cause of conservation and the protection of Iran’s natural heritage. The Islamic Republic’s neglect of the cheetah reflects its neglect of its own people.

While the Asiatic cheetah has served as a symbol of cultural significance for centuries, the gradual extinction of the species and the government’s lack of action against this eradication reflects the neglect that the Islamic Republic has shown toward the requests and values of the country’s fauna as well as its people. This ignorance is practiced through Iran’s political system, which is dominated by a small group of elites who have been accused of putting their own interests above those of the general population. Iranians are dying every day, crying out for the necessary resources such as food, water, and basic human rights. Similar to the Iranian people, Pirouz was denied the health and food resources that could have lengthened his life expectancy and increased his quality of life. As a minority population close to extinction, the Asiatic cheetah was disregarded by the Islamic Republic as a flagrant financial burden. This reflects the government’s treatment of minority populations in Iran and its disregard for the needs and requests of these people. Minority groups, including the Baha’i people, Kurdish people, and Ahwazi Arab people, have faced discrimination, persecution, and violence at the hands of the government. Despite calls for greater equality and rights for these groups, the government has been accused of ignoring their requests and failing to take action to address their grievances. The Islamic Republic’s disregard for the needs and requests of the Iranian people has been seen as a significant cause for concern. This has led to widespread calls for reform and change.

Pirouz’s life and death remain a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. Pirouz’s story is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is hope, and it is up to us to keep that hope alive. As Iran continues to face political, economic, and environmental challenges, Pirouz’s legacy will endure as a symbol of perseverance and nature to inspire and bring needed changes to Iran. □

References

“Iran Mourns Loss of Pirouz, Critically Endangered Cheetah Cub.” Al Monitor, https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/02/ iran-mourns-loss-pirouz-critically-endangered-cheetah-cub.

“Last of Iran’s Endangered Asiatic Cheetah Cubs in Captivity Dies.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 28 Feb. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/28/iranendangered-asiatic-cheetah-cub-pirouz-dies.

“Pirouz, Iran’s Only Asiatic Cheetah Cub, Dies of Kidney Failure.” The National, 28 Feb. 2023, https://www.thenationalnews. com/mena/iran/2023/02/28/pirouz-irans-only-asiaticcheetah-cub-dies-of-kidney-failure/.

Newsroom, Iran International. “Cheetah Cub’s Death Saddens and Angers Iranians.” Iran International, Iran International, 28 Feb. 2023, https://www.iranintl.com/en/202302289283.

“Pirouz - the Last Male Asiatic Cheetah Cub, Has Died.” Medium, The Yak, 28 Feb. 2023, https://medium.com/doctoryak/pirouzthe-last-male-asiatic-cheetah-cub-has-died-962ef9ac06e5.

To My Sister: The Life and Words of Forugh

by N.B.

The rallying cry of Iranian women heard across the world this past year was the long term fear of the Islamic Republic. As the political landscape transformed into a feminist battle ground, the feminine voice and perspective became the call to battle. Rallying cries of despair and frustration brought people to the streets where ordinary women and teenage girls became freedom fighters, refusing to settle for compromise and cruelty. But this poetic rallying cry is not a rallying cry of the ongoing intersectional feminist revolution in Iran. It is a poem titled Call To Arms written by Iranian poet Forugh Farrokhzad (1937-1967).

Farrokhzad is Iran’s most well-known, and controversial, female poet. It is often said Iran is the land of poetry and the easiest way to understand Iran is through the famous Persian poets and their work. As an American-born Iranian woman, I often felt removed from the cultural sphere of Iran and my mom rarely made a concerted effort to introduce me to the world of Iranian art. The first piece of Iranian cultural significance she bought me, at age 18, was Sin: The Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad (translated to English). When I told my grandfather I bought Sin in hopes of learning more about Persian poetry, he was confused - well that’s not real Iranian poetry, he said. Later that year, he gifted me two books -Rumi and Hafez- to give me a formal introduction to the world of Iranian poets. All three of these poets were born and raised in Iran — so what makes one a real Iranian?

Over 50 years after her death, Farrokhzad remains more culturally significant than ever. And as I’ve learned, every Iranian older than myself has a strong opinion on her one way or another. This is her power- her ability to elicit strong emotional reactions in everyone that has read her work or simply knows her story. She is often described as a feminist author and iconoclast (def: a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions) by writing emotionally raw and vulnerable pieces on the experience of womanhood. Her work is often described as progressive for the time period and country she was based in, but even today her work stands the test of time and pushes the boundaries of what is a socially acceptable topic. Her work can be described as a powerful force, but her words speak for themselves.

Farrokhzad’s work was banned for 10 years in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution. The regime ordered her publisher to stop printing her work, and when he refused, he was jailed and his factory burned down. The regime saw a possibility- a generation inspired by Farrokhzad’s work is a dangerous generation. It is a generation ready to undo the very fabric of patriarchy. Today, her work remains heavily censored. Because of this censorship, she is viewed as a rebel against the Islamic Regime. And while her work illuminates the feminist spirit the regime attempts to dispel, Farrokhzad should be understood as a rebel against more than the regime. She died before the revolution and lived in a time where the Shah’s power claimed to bring a progressive wave to Iran. But as Farrokhzad makes clear, the monarchy did not change the foundations of misogyny embeddedin the world around her. The Shah’s position in progression did very little to improve the conditions of women. Surface-level policies were passed (for example, freedom concerning women’s right to revealing clothing) but long-held patriarchal beliefs remained unchallenged. In the era of the Shah, female literacy remained below 35%.

Although Farrokhzad proudly wore red lipstick, heavy eyeliner, and revealing clothing, she felt suffocated in the mere existence of womanhood. And even as a woman, the honesty and sharpness with which she describes womanhood is illuminating. She brings words to feelings we often can’t describe and says what we often don’t dare to put to words.

There are few artists, of any gender, who bare their soul in their work similar to Farrokhzad. Even at her funeral, Iran’s leading literary journal Sokhan wrote “Forugh is perhaps the first female writer in Persian literature to express the emotions and romantic feelings of the feminine gender in her verse with distinctive frankness and elegance, for which reason she has inaugurated a new chapter in Persian poetry.” But, in her lifetime, she was referred to as “poetess” (shā’ereh), undermining her work as a poet and placing her in a category separate from her male peers despite her consistent contributions to the literary world. Farsi is a gender neutral language, meaning words were quite literally invented in order to alienate her work from her peers. She was a leading figure in the Nima Poetry (Sher-eh Nimaa’i) movement in Iran which challenged traditional Persian poetry and inspired an insurgence of new-wave Iranian poetry.

I poured in his eyes lyrics of love: O my life, my lover it’s you I want. Life giving arms, it’s you I crave. Crazed lover, for you I thirst.

Lust enflamed his eyes, red wine trembled in the cup, my body, naked and drunk, quivered softly on his breast

I have sinned a rapturous sin beside a body quivering and spent. I do not know what I did O God, in that quiet vacant dark.

English translation: Sholeh Wolpé

At just 19 years old, Farrokhzad published Sin in Iran’s most well-known art magazine Roshanfekr (The Intellectual). It is said she walked into the magazine’s headquarters, unannounced, and handed over her written poems. Sin, an emotional and provocative piece detailing her affair with the magazine’s own editor in chief was published along with her biography and image. In a time where women were publishing under pen-names, Farrokhzad let the world know of her affair (by mentioning her husband and son in her biography), and was not ashamed. This was not without consequence. Farrokhzad eventually lost custody of her son under the presumption she was too filled with desire and immoral thoughts to raise a child and largely denied visitation rights until her death. While legal conditions for women in Iran have gotten worse since 1979, the legal system has never adequately supported Iranian women. But this did not stop her. While she remained committed to fighting for her son, she had unleashed a new passion and was determined to continue writing poetry on the topic of female desire.

Sin marked the beginning of a life of public torment by the media. Tabloids continually ridiculed her and called her a whore. Her work was not taken seriously by the art world, and famous male artists publically claimed to have had sex with her. Despite insisting that these claims were false, the media tore her apart while the men who lied and preyed on her vulnerability remained unscathed.

Despite her strong conviction, the public torment and loss of custody over her son affected her mental health. After two unsuccessful suicide attempts, she was institutionalized. But Farrokhzad continued her poetry and even made a very successful film upon her release, titled The House is Black, focused on a leper colony. The short film was her only directorial project and produced by Ebrahim Golestan - a renowned Iranian filmmaker and Farrokhzad’s lover at the time. After filming concluded, she adopted a young boy from the colony named Hossein Mansouri. Although the short film received little critical acclaim during its debut, it is now considered a landmark of Iranian cinema.

My introduction to her life story was through an article calling her “Iran’s Sylvia Plath.” And while the parallels of mental illness, feminism, and poetry exist, this comparison undermines her work. This continual trend of comparing non-Western trailblazers to their closest Western counterparts defines women of color as a copy or runner-up. Farrokhzad is Iran’s revolutionary poet and should be defined in terms of what she did for Iran.

But like Sylvia Plath, she is a woman who revealed her entire soul only to have her pain glamorized. While their art lives beyond their time on this earth and changes the way we understand the power of poetry, conversations of Farrokhzad (like Plath) often revolve around the tragedies in her life rather than her groundbreaking work. Conversations on Farrokhzad should center her words, not the way she was treated or her death.

There are people that society realizes have been wronged only after they have gone and only after they no longer pose a threat to the carefully created fabric of society, as they are no longer releasing their work. In her lifetime, Farrokhzad was deemed too unstable and too unpredictable- only because she wrote from her own point of view. In her afterlife, she remains controversial, but she has been elevated to a feminist status held from her during her lifetime. During her life she was asked why she wrote poetry from a ‘feminine perspective.’ Farrokhzad mentioned this is not an issue of gender. She believed we ought to think of experience beyond the gender binary, which informed her answer that her works are not an issue of gender, but rather an issue of lived experience and human rights.

Farrokhzad died an early death at age 32. Without equating her life with her death, the metaphorical significance of her death is haunting. Farrokhzad died in a car crash as she drove home from her mother’s house during a winter storm. Her death comes after her final poetry collection “Rebirth” where she prepared herself for a new phase of life and felt full of hope and prepared to fight for custody of her son. Her funeral was widely attended and she was buried in Northern Tehran amidst a snowstorm. The vast collection of poems we have from here were all from her short life. While the tragedy of her life is well known and docmented, in this current moment we should also turn to her honesty and inspiring calls to action to guide us. Farrokhzad believed in the experience of Iranian women to be the architects of their own freedom. We must challenge the distortion of her character and honor her life through her words rather than her image. She sacrificed herself symbolically and ruined her image in order to open a door that has not been fully broken down today. Women today in Iran continue the legacy Farrokhzad was a part of—an unapologetic demand for recognition. While her personal poems remind us of the complexity of womanhood, her poems directed to her fellow Iranian woman serve as a rallying cry. □

“To My Sister” / منارهاوخ هب

Sister, rise up after your freedom, why are you quiet? rise up because henceforth you have to imbibe the blood of tyrannical men.

Seek your rights, Sister, from those who keep you weak, from those whose myriad tricks and schemes keep you seated in a corner of the house.

…

This angry moan of yours must surly become a clamorous scream. you must tear apart this heavy bond so that your life might be free.

Rise up and uproot the roots of oppression. give comfort to your bleeding heart. for the sake of your freedom, strive to change the law, rise up.