The recent spike in discrimination against women by the regime and regime-backed forces betrays Tehran s fear of women, who are the driving force behind change in Iran and the fight against Islamic fundamentalism, the bedrock of the Iranian regime. After Hassan Rouhani assumed office as the Iranian regime s president in 2013, suppression and restrictions against women have been exacerbated, including in the fields of arts, sports, education, and work. The measures were aimed at driving women out of public affairs and circumenting challenges to the state.