On Monday, April 7, 2025, in the rural district of Loolman in Gilan Province, a 31-year-
old man stabbed and killed a 30-year-old woman with whom he was in a romantic
relationship. According to Rokna News, the perpetrator died by suicide after committing
the killing. The state-affiliated outlet cited “personal disputes” as the motive behind the
crime. No further information—such as the identity of the victim or the perpetrator—has
been released by the media or law enforcement.
The killing of a 30-year-old woman in Loolman is yet another entry in the ongoing string
of femicides in Iran, marked by extreme violence and, in this case, followed by the
suicide of the perpetrator. Reports indicate that the two individuals were in a
relationship, but the killing has been casually attributed to “personal disputes”—a vague
and cliché explanation frequently used in similar cases, which effectively avoids deeper
structural analysis and social accountability.
When a woman is killed in the context of a personal relationship, it is crucial to examine
that relationship not merely through the lens of “conflict,” but in terms of power
dynamics, control, and the vulnerability of women. A relationship that ends in murder
undoubtedly reflects underlying inequalities, emotional and psychological abuse, or
coercive control—patterns that are too often ignored in Iran’s conservative, patriarchal
cultural and social frameworks.
The media’s silence regarding the identities of the victim and the perpetrator, and the
absence of further details, exemplify the broader culture of neglect when it comes to
violence against women in Iran. Rather than reducing violence, this erasure contributes
to a climate in which such crimes are likely to repeat. The perpetrator’s suicide does not
mark the conclusion of this case—it marks the beginning of unanswered questions: Was
this woman living under threat? Did she have access to legal or social support? Why did
the responsible institutions fail to intervene before it was too late?
As long as violence against women continues to be diminished under vague labels like
“personal disputes,” and society refuses to confront its roots, future victims are merely a
matter of time. This killing is not an isolated incident—it is the result of a deeply flawed
structure that leaves women alone and unsupported in inadequate relationships.

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