Released from Iranian prison after 804 days, Dr. Kylie Moore-Gilbert has a message for Iran

Dr. Kylie Moore-Gilbert, an Australian-British scholar, has spoken out about her release from Iran after 804 days, detailing her experiences with a ten-year espionage sentence and stints in Evin and Qarchak prisons. The release came about through a prisoner swap, finally bringing her home.

In a conversation on the JPost sits down with... podcast, Moore-Gilbert described how the Revolutionary Guard reduced her to a number, 97029, and attempted to leverage her freedom for cooperation as an agent, an offer she refused. She noted the stark contrast between the harsh treatment by the Iranian state and her warmth towards ordinary Iranians. Her account highlights a prison system where the IRGC allegedly keeps valuable captives alive under close watch while neglecting inmates in public wards.

Moore-Gilbert detailed blackmail and recruitment tactics used to turn prisoners into informers. She also recalled cellmates she considered sisters, naming environmental activist Sepideh Kashani, who she says has since been returned to prison. The scholar offered an affecting perspective on Iranian women, referencing both the anti-hijab protests and subsequent uprisings she has observed from afar. "I just didn't break," she stated, reflecting her defiance during her years of imprisonment, a spirit she sees mirrored in the women still held captive.

Turning to international policy, Moore-Gilbert argued that the Iranian regime believes it has gained the upper hand, with hard-line figures consolidating power. She expressed skepticism about concessions and cautioned against easing economic pressure, stating it would provide a lifeline to Tehran when it is most vulnerable. She also soberly assessed the dangers facing activists within Iran, advising them to lay low for the time being. Her firsthand account of Iran's prisons and politics offers a rare and candid view.

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I just didn't break