Protests erupted across Iran on Dec. 28 as public anger over the country’s collapsing country spilled into the streets. Arsham Parsi, founder and executive director of International Railroad for Queer Refugees, is from Shiraz, a city in southern Iran. He added that many of them feel this moment differs from previous waves of protest in Iran. Forouzandy said LGBTQ people inside Iran have, in some cases, participated more openly in the protests than many observers might expect, citing years of compounded repression under the regime. “However, the most decisive force remains the people inside Iran themselves.