“Family Problems” or structural inequality? a look at the killing of Vajiheh by her husband’s Gunfire
On Monday, August 25, 2025, on the Haft-Hoz Road in Mashhad, a 44-year-old man
named Omid A. shot and killed his 41-year-old wife Vajiheh inside their car with a
handgun, and then ended his own life with the same weapon. The couple had two
young children.
State-affiliated media, including Rokna, reported the motive as “family problems,” writing
that Vajiheh had filed a legal complaint for unpaid dowry (mehriyeh) and a court had
ordered seizure of her husband’s assets. Police investigations revealed the killer had
previously practiced shooting in the desert and filmed it, clear evidence the killing was
premeditated.
This crime cannot be reduced to a mere “family dispute.” Such terms, repeated
constantly in state media, serve to conceal the structural roots of violence against
women. Vajiheh’s killing was not the result of a simple conflict, but the outcome of
patriarchy, discriminatory laws, and easy access to firearms.
Iran’s laws on dowry, divorce, and custody place women in extremely vulnerable
positions. A woman who turns to the courts for her most basic rights face threats of
violence. Instead of providing protective mechanisms, the judiciary exposes women to
revenge. For many women, pursuing their legal rights costs them their lives.
In a society where men view women as “their property,” any demand for independence
or a legal right is seen as an “insult to male authority.” Vajiheh’s killing is one example of
this dangerous mindset, one that denies women agency and choice. By minimizing the
issue with terms like “family problems,” the media reinforces this toxic view.
The key question is: how can an ordinary citizen so readily access a handgun, and even
train with it openly in the desert? In a country where opposition is tightly crushed, the
easy availability of firearms for personal revenge exposes a deep contradiction in the
security system. The unchecked flow of illegal weapons, even though organized
trafficking, poses a severe threat to public safety.
The killing of Vajiheh is a symbol of the judiciaries and legal system’s failure to protect
women, a reflection of patriarchal culture, and a warning sign of the dangers caused by
uncontrolled access to firearms. This cycle of violence will only be broken when:
Family and women’s rights laws are reformed and real protections are provided,
Patriarchy and the culture of male ownership over women are challenged, and
Free and illegal access to weapons is effectively controlled.
#StopHonorKillingsCampaign
#SafetyForWomen
#WomenHaveTheRightToLive
#IslamicRepublicResponsibleForWomenKillings
#NoToViolenceAgainstWomen
#Maragheh_HonorKilling
#NoToMisogynisticCulture
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