File:Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the U.S. Department of State’s 17th Annual International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony, Translated to Persian by VOA Persian.ogg

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And I wish they could be here to hear your applause.

I’m proud to present the Madeleine K. Albright Honorary Group International Women of Courage Award. This inaugural award goes to women and girls in Iran, who – in the wake of the brutal killing of Mahsa Amini – have inspired us all.

All Mahsa wanted was to live a normal and happy life. She dreamed of starting a family after finishing her studies. But these hopes and dreams were crushed – they were crushed by the tyranny of Iran’s so-called “Morality Police.” The Iranian government probably thought this would just be another footnote in the long record of violence and discrimination against women. But this time, this time it was different.

The Iranian people – led by women – took to the streets in peaceful protest. They followed in the footsteps of brave women before them, who sacrificed so much in the name of freedom. Through neighborhoods and classrooms, out of apartment buildings and car windows, the protestors’ chanted throughout Iran and around the world, creating a global chorus demanding gender-equality and human rights.

But for all the hope this movement represents, we must never forget how the Iranian regime has responded: They have tortured peaceful protestors. They have arrested tens of thousands of people. They have badly injured and killed Iranians in bloody crackdowns. The international community must continue to condemn the regime’s repression and violence, and we must back up our words with action.

That’s why the United States led a successful effort to remove Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women, and it’s why we are working to hold those complicit in these abuses accountable.