It is an inconvenient (and ironic) truth that the overwhelming majority of abuse being heaped on Iranian women on Twitter seems to come not from supporters of the Islamic Republic but from those who loudly condemn it for its lack of women’s rights. BUT. Let me say this...1/

We all of us — every single one of us — need to do better. I don’t care if you’re a royalist, a mojahed, a communist, an IRI supporter, a Mosaddeqist, or none of the above. This needs to stop. We are all better than this. All of us. 2/

Today, I am using whatever small platform I have here to ask EVERYONE in EVERY corner of Iranian Twitter to join me in making a pledge. A simple pledge to be respectful of Iranian women’s voices. Please retweet this if you want to join me in this pledge. 3/

This goes beyond politics. This is about who we are as Iranians and as people who care about Iran. Because nothing in ANY of our belief systems — Islam, Marxism, liberalism, or anything else — promotes the degrading of women or the threat of physical violence. Nothing. 4/

I apologise if I am speaking out of turn as a man. I don’t mean to come across as some kind of male saviour. It’s just that I am sick to death of seeing this. If you care about a better future for Iran as you claim — act like it. Show your humanity. That’s it. End of thread.