IRAN. 2018. Mahtab, 20, Student at Tehran University, waitress at a Cafe in Enghelab Ave. which was the magnet of the Tehran Protests.

“The day the protests started in Tehran University I was in the café where I work. My classmates informed that there is a protest in Tehran University campus and over heard some noises from the cafe’s balcony. I was so worried and scared. After an hour, few guys ran into the cafe, bleeding, asked for help and first aid kit. They were injured badly and were hit by batons. It was scary, we helped them but sent to a hospital fast because we were afraid that the cafe will be stormed by the police. That happened again and again, we continued sending people to the hospital nearby and then we closed dwon the café ourselves . We couldn’t work for 3 days because of the situation. My boss fired me for helping the protesters. Now I’m jobless.

When protests broke out in dozens of cities in Iran recently, everybody had different opinions, but no one wanted to come in front of my camera. Afraid.