'I was married at 12, a mum by 14 and widow with two small children at 19'

Mina Khanoom is a woman who was raised in the most remote and traditional communities in Iran and her heartbreaking tale of child marriage illuminates some of the atrocities occurring in the nation today. ‌

Acclaimed journalist Tara Kangarlou's book The Heartbeat of Iran meticulously documents the authentic experiences of ordinary individuals residing in the country. From environmental campaigners dwelling within the most impoverished regions of the nation to a transgender woman in Tehran, each chapter exposes the intricacies of existence in their motherland, with Mina's being merely one amongst them. ‌

At just 12, Mina was compelled into matrimony with a then 30-year-old man. Whilst this reality appears absurd to even contemplate here in the UK, in numerous regions of the globe -