I fled for my life at 16 to escape the Iranian regime
Three years ago Iranian teenager Rozhan Ghamarpoor and her family were forced to flee their home when the authorities discovered her mother was attending a secret Christian Church.
In an interview recorded before the recent conflict between Israel, the USA and Iran, but after the reprisals following the public protests against the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr Sian Williams talks to 19 year-old Rozhan Ghamarpoor about her flight from Tehran and subsequent journey to the UK.
At just 16, Rozhan's life changed forever when the Iranian authorities discovered that her mother was attending an underground Christian church – and her immediate family felt they had no choice but to flee for their lives.
Rozhan tells Dr Sian Williams about the heartbreak of abandoning her old life, and her terrifying journey across Europe - which almost ended in disaster aboard a terrifying small boat.
Rozhan, her sister and mother have now been granted leave to remain in the UK, and like any teenager, she is trying to pass her exams and build a new life in a land that has given her life and freedom. But the agony of watching those she has left behind, both family and friends, remains.
Producer: Tom Alban
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- Wed 8 Apr 2026 09:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4
- Fri 10 Apr 2026 16:30Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4
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Extraordinary stories of life's turning points.
