02/23/2026, 07:5602/23/2026, 07:56
On their latest EP “Days of Ash”, the Irish rock band U2 dedicated a song to a young Iranian woman who died during the women’s movement in 2022. The title “Song of the Future” is reminiscent of 16-year-old Sarina Esmailsadeh.
The Irish rock band consists of four members Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen, Jr. and Bono. (from left to right)Image: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Invision
Officially it was said at the time that she had taken her own life. However, relatives contradicted and spoke of police violence and that she had been killed with a baton.
The dedication to Esmailsadeh quickly went viral in Iran and many praised U2 frontman Bono for his support for the victims of the unrest in Iran. According to U2 on Platform
Song of the Future honors the schoolgirl uprising in Iran and the life of 16-year-old Sarina Esmailzadeh, one of thousands of Iranian schoolgirls who took to the streets as part of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in 2022. These protests were sparked by the death of Jina Mahsa… pic.twitter.com/8eHahjhvga
— U2 (@U2) February 21, 2026
The women’s movement was triggered by the death of the Iranian Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini. The 23-year-old was arrested by the moral police in Tehran because strands of hair were visible under her headscarf. Shortly afterwards she died in police custody. According to official information, she died of natural causes. Critics, however, claim that she was killed by the moral police.
The most serious protests in decades then broke out in autumn 2022. The moral police in Iran took strict action against this and the judiciary had several demonstrators executed. The movement still had an impact. Since then, many Iranian women have stopped wearing the compulsory headscarf. Even a new law in parliament and strict punishments could not change their attitude. (sda/dpa)