British-Iranian actress asks ‘where are the college campuses’ protesting the Iranian regime
British-Iranian actress Nazanin Boniadi criticized progressive activists for not speaking out about Iran’s human rights abuses before President Donald Trump authorized military strikes against the country.
The “Rings of Power” actress appeared on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” Wednesday to discuss concerns over the potential power vacuum in Iran following the U.S. actions and the threat of extremist groups taking advantage of the situation.
Boniadi expressed frustration that many human rights organizations and activists only addressed civilian casualties after the U.S. strikes, rather than speaking out while the regime was committing abuses.
“For people who care about international law as I do, I’m getting plenty of messages from colleagues in entertainment saying, ‘I’m so sorry for what’s happening to your people.’ Thank you, but where were you a few weeks ago, when tens of thousands of Iranians were being killed by their own regime?” Boniadi said. “This is a regime that has been violating international law for decades.”
Tapper noted that he also had not heard much from international progressive activists about Iran’s human rights record, despite the country launching missile and drone strikes against other Muslim-majority nations in retaliation.
“I mean, if any other country did that, there would be huge protests and marches. Iran does it, and the response from the progressive community has been minimal. What do you make of that?” Tapper asked.
Boniadi responded, “In 1979, progressives around the world, including in Iran, were too willing to sacrifice women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and other basic human rights in the name of anti-imperialism. Are we going to repeat that now? Are we more concerned about who is pulling the trigger, or about human lives?”
She continued, “This regime has consistently violated human rights. Its actions have caused domestic oppression, regional destabilization, hostage diplomacy, and transnational repression. Now, it is killing fellow Muslims in neighboring countries. Where is the outrage? Where are the college campuses?”
Boniadi, whose family fled Tehran for England after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has long supported Iranian protesters and used her platform to spotlight the regime’s abuses. At the 2022 Academy Women’s Luncheon, she called on Hollywood figures to support female protesters in Iran following the death of a 22-year-old arrested for wearing her hijab too loosely.
“We owe it to our counterparts in Iran to stand with them as they fight for their most basic human rights,” Boniadi said.
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