It would be premature to compare the Iranian Mahsa Amini with the Tunisian greengrocer Muhammad Bouazizi.
In late 2010, his self-immolation led to the overthrow of dictator Ben Ali and sparked the mass Arab protests of 2011.
And yet there are parallels.
Both were victims of unjust regimes, and the deaths of both aroused great sympathy among the population.
An end to the Islamic Republic is only wishful thinking for the time being.
Iranians take to the streets to protest almost regularly, sometimes because of economic hardship, sometimes because of restrictions on freedom.
But the leadership never left any doubt that they were prepared to use force of arms to quell opposition.
Regime admits wrongdoing
This is now different after the death of Mahsa Amini, which is attributed to the abusive moral police, at least so far.
Even die-hard hardliners in Tehran's leadership admit to wrongdoing.
Apparently they fear that such incidents will undermine the legitimacy of those in power.
So they want to take pressure off the boiler.
The litmus test will be whether the Islamic Republic's leadership is really willing to implement reforms such as the abolition of rigid dress codes for women.
Many Iranians who want a different republic, women and men alike, will no longer be satisfied with that.