Last week I was asked to write my thoughts on the uprising in Iran. This wasn't intended for publication, but here it is. -- Jahanshah Javid

For more than 40 years the opponents of the Islamic Republic have been predicting its imminent fall. Why should we believe it now?

For one, seeing is believing. For more than a month now, we have been watching stunning clips coming out of every corner of Iran with chants of “Death to the dictator” and , more significantly, “Death to Khamenei,” which protesters largely avoided in the past. The biggest difference in these protests is the degree of fearlessness.

The amazing and unprecedented developments include:

– An uprising by women, especially students, and even elementary school girls, showing incredible courage in rejecting the mandatory hijab and waving their headscarves defiantly in the air. The hijab has been a key symbol of religious rule. Those loyal to the regime have often warned that if the hijab disappears, so will the Islamic Republic.

– There is a widespread feeling that the end of this regime is finally within sight. Mahsa Amini’s death appears to be the feather that has broken the spell, the myth that the regime is invincible. This surge in courage and optimism is being credited to those born in the 2000’s, known in Iran as “daheh hashtadiha” or the “80’s generation” (the decade 1380-90 in the Iranian calendar). Unlike previous generations, they curse the 1979 revolution and openly despise the Islamic Republic. They are the children of the internet and social media. Their minds have escaped the state’s monopoly on radio, television and newspapers. They are more in tune with universal values than strict religious rules.

– “Don’t be afraid! We’re all together!” was a slogan that was often heard during the 2009 “Green Movement,” which caused the biggest challenge to the Islamic Republic before the current upheaval. Today the slogan has made a comeback, but this time the people seem to believe it more than ever. This sense of safety in numbers may explain countless examples of bravery by women and men, mostly very young, in standing up to armed security forces, even when facing bullets, tear gas and batons. The rising casualties has not deterred the people to the same extent as past brutal suppressions. They seem to be fueling their rage.

– The most active and organized protests on a national scale have been carried out by university students, who have been boycotting classes, mainly to demand the release of their classmates. But there have also been unannounced random protests by school children, mostly girls, in classes, school yards and out in the streets, often waving scarves and chanting the most radical slogans, including “We don’t want the Islamic Republic!” and posting pictures, showing the finger to Ayatollahs Khamenei and Khomeini.

– The number of celebrities supporting the protests is unprecedented, including those who have been acting in state television programs and films for decades, risking arrest, if not their livelihood. Many famous athletes, especially football players have sided with the people through social media. In a bold show of solidarity, the national football team chose to cover up the IRI logo on their jerseys during the national anthems ahead of the match between Iran and Senegal on September 27.

– The demonstrations held by Iranians abroad in solidarity with protests in Iran have never seemed more confident and energetic.

– It is very unlikely that Khamenei will make any compromises. In fact, he has hardened and continues to blame the U.S. and Israel, without any acknowledgement of the people’s very real objections and desires. As always, he and his followers in power are counting on the military-security establishment to keep the regime afload. But fear and doubt have crept in, as more and more people are defying bullets. There have been rumors that dozens of officers, even within the ranks of the IRGC, have refused to carry out orders to suppress the protests. It is an important fact that the vast majority of IRGC troops are conscripts fulfilling compulsory military duty, same as the army soldiers. In 1979, the monarchy's final collapse came when soldiers began joining the people’s ranks and the military leadership surrendered. That does not look as impossible as it did a month ago.

– As in the past, there’s a glaring lack of overall leadership. In 2009, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi led the protests for a while but they were unwilling to directly challenge Khamenei and the regime itself. Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former Shah, is the most popular opposition figure but so far he has been reluctant to lead in the same way Khomeini did in 1979. There is also no prospect for anyone emerging from within the regime itself – nobody with any legitimacy that is. There is no one leader, but there are numerous activists inside Iran who have gained considerable skill in using social media to inform the public and organize their particular sector, notably teachers, workers, university students and lawyers. If they unite and issue a joint call for nationwide strikes, the Islamic Republic will be doomed.