In a poignant interview from Paris, Iranian-French chess grandmaster Mitra Hejazipour has revealed the profound emotional distress she continues to endure while monitoring anti-government protests and severe internet blackouts in her homeland. The 32-year-old athlete, who fled Iran five years ago following her symbolic removal of the mandatory hijab during an international tournament in Moscow, now finds herself grappling with sleepless nights and anxiety as she struggles to contact family members amid widespread communications shutdowns.
Hejazipour, who obtained French citizenship and became national champion in 2023, described the current situation as ‘highly distressing,’ particularly after receiving harrowing accounts from medical contacts within Iran. ‘A friend working at a hospital shared devastating details about numerous gunshot wounds, especially eye injuries, and many fatalities,’ she disclosed while promoting her newly released autobiography, ‘The Chess Player.’
The protests, initially triggered by economic hardships in late December, have evolved into the most significant challenge to Iran’s leadership in recent years. Independent monitoring organizations estimate the death toll ranges from several thousand to as many as 20,000 casualties resulting from the government’s brutal crackdown on dissent.
Despite her successful chess career in exile—which includes leading the French team to a third-place finish at the world championships—Hejazipour remains emotionally connected to Iran’s struggle. She expresses cautious optimism that ‘the sacrifice of Iranians will not be in vain’ and predicts the eventual collapse of the current regime. The chess prodigy identifies Reza Pahlavi, son of the former shah living in American exile, as a potential unifying figure for establishing democratic governance.
Her memoir recounts a childhood in Mashhad where chess became ‘a balm to soothe my sorrow, my shield against life’s uncertainties.’ The defining moment came in December 2019 when she dramatically removed her headscarf during the World Championship in Moscow, an act that precipitated her exile. Now settled in Paris, Hejazipour has established a charitable organization dedicated to promoting chess as an empowerment tool for women worldwide.