Mumbai: In an exclusive interview, Iranian actress Mandana Karimi discussed the situation in Iran following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. She hailed the American-Israeli attack on Iran and hoped for regime change. She also spoke about her time living in Iran and the suppression she experienced there. Karimi supported Reza Pahlavi as Iran’s next leader and said she feels safe in India. She said the US and Israel, along with Middle Eastern countries, should destroy what she called the lunatic regime in Iran. In the end, she said she had an Iranian passport until four years ago but did not reveal which passport she holds now. Karimi also criticized sections of international and Indian media coverage and voiced support for Reza Pahlavi as a future leader of Iran.
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00:00Welcome to Anas Mandana. Thank you for having me. So we'll start with your reaction. I want
00:09to know your reaction when you got to know about Khamenei's killing in Iran.
00:18Well, it wasn't a reaction. It was more of a celebration. And I think
00:25us Iranians, we've been under oppression of this person and his regime for so many years
00:32that it was a moment of celebration. Have you spoken to your family and friends back home?
00:40What is their reaction and what is happening right now? We want to know the current situation because
00:45there is so much of flow of information on social media and everywhere, the news all over the world.
00:50But what is the actual situation on the ground? The actual situation is,
00:56Iranian people have been suppressed by this regime for over, you know, 48 years. And right now,
01:04people are happy. They are scared. They have hopes. And I saw a clip just by one of my friends
01:14showed
01:15just a few minutes ago that a mother singing out of her building and looking at the missile and coming
01:23down and by having a hope that this missile has destroyed another regime's police station or the
01:32offices or the places that they're hiding. That's a reality. And yes, war is not easy. War is not
01:41something that any nation wants for its own people. But we have been involved with this regime for so
01:48many years. And this war is giving us a hope that finally this regime for once and all is going
01:54to be removed completely.
01:57You have seen or you must have heard what happened in Iran all these years, especially how women were, you
02:06know, tortured and how their life was made so difficult in their own country.
02:11Yeah. Does your friend and relatives also have one such story to tell?
02:17I haven't heard. I haven't heard. I've lived that life. I was born in Iran. I lived in Iran until
02:23I was 18 years old.
02:25I have carried the Iranian passport until four years ago. I haven't heard of this. These are not the story
02:32that I'm hearing.
02:33It's my own life experience. And yes, after I left Iran, the situations that I've known, my own friends have
02:43been arrested, arrested, the people that we know, they've been, I don't know, executed, or the mass killing, what happened
02:54in January 8.
02:55I mean, it's not... What I want to add, actually, to be honest, is that people are looking at it
03:05now, and they say, oh, Israel and America have attacked Iran, and first they attack, and, you know, and Khamenei
03:13is dead.
03:14I want you to look at it this way, our way, at least, because as an Iranian woman, if I
03:21have lived that life, I know exactly what this regime is capable of.
03:25For a second, just look at it this way. There was a nation, 48 years, they've been on a separation
03:32of a regime.
03:34In January 8 and 9, they went, they took the, over the streets, and in one day, the regime has
03:41killed more than 60,000 people, right?
03:44And they asked for an international intervention, and they got it. The help came, right?
03:51Look at it this way. Don't look at it, and don't question, why they want war, why they want the
03:58country to be blasted by Israel and America.
04:01Don't look at it that way. Because, and specifically, the women of Iran, the pain that we have gone through
04:08is beyond imaginable.
04:10And it's, even for someone like me, every day, the pictures that I see, the news that I see from
04:17my friends and family in Iran, with their own experiences,
04:22I feel like, wow, how lucky I was that I left when I was 18 years.
04:28Because I could be Mahsa Amini, I could be one of those girls, who they went on the street on
04:338th of January, and they haven't come back to their houses.
04:36And not only that, their parents, they don't know where their body is.
04:39So look at it, look at it that way. And a lot of women, they have a question that, why
04:45as a woman, what kind of a woman are you?
04:48You don't care about the children who's been murdered in that school attack.
04:55And I asked those women, where were you in January, in February, in March, when I was trying to rally
05:02on the street and say,
05:03Please, people, be the voice of Iran. That time you were quiet. And now suddenly you have a voice and
05:10opinion. So no thank you.
05:12I mean, the women who have been suppressed all these years, do you see the entire war and especially Khomeini's
05:19death as revenge for those women?
05:21This regime is run by a bunch of lunatics. It runs by a bunch of lunatics. They don't care about
05:29women. They don't care about men. They don't care about Islam. They don't care about anything.
05:32What they want, they want to destroy Israel and America. They want to destroy the Western population. That's who they
05:40are.
05:41The education that they do in their school is to destroy America and Israel and the Western countries.
05:48And that's why they have been sponsoring so many terrorist organizations.
05:53And by the way, a few days ago, the terrorist attack which happened in Austin, I don't know if you've
05:58seen the news, the guy who was arrested, he was wearing the Islamic Republic's flag.
06:05So you tell me, is this a revenge? Maybe. Is this a revenge of people that they're taking from Khomeini?
06:16Yes.
06:16And I'm sure the sisters and the people, they've lost their life, they're looking at from the sky and they're
06:23smiling at us.
06:23And they say, oh, finally, finally, our blood, the blood that we lost is not going to go for waste.
06:30So my question to you was, which I think you were, there was due to some loss of communication.
06:38So because the women who have been suppressed for so many years, now that, you know, Iranian supreme leader is
06:45no more, Khomeini is no more,
06:47do you think that indirectly their revenge has been taken?
06:55No, this revenge is not, no, this revenge is not going to be taken by death of Khomeini.
07:00This revenge, if it's actually a revenge, is going to be taken by the fact that the regime is going
07:05to be destroyed.
07:06And this revolution is not only the women revolution. It's not about hijab.
07:11It's not about that, oh, we don't want to wear clothes or we want to be naked on the streets.
07:15This revenge is for Iranian people, for people who they have no right in Iran, for people who have been
07:23suppressed for so many years and for people who lost their life in so many years and specifically January 8th
07:32and 9th.
07:33So, but at the same time, when war happens, you know, people, you know, a lot of innocent people, they
07:40get killed.
07:41And we have seen and we have also heard in the news that, you know, a school was attacked and
07:47many Iranian girls, school girls, they were killed in the attack.
07:52So do you have any further news on it that who were they and does your friend?
07:57Well, to be, to be honest, the point of this whole conversations or what's happening in Iran, it shouldn't be
08:07how many people died because the same people who are talking about those girls who were killed in a school.
08:12Where were you in January 8th? Where were you? Why you didn't have a voice?
08:16Why all these so-called activists and pro-Palestine and pro-this and pro-that?
08:21Where were you? And why are you asking it now? Are you part of the propaganda?
08:26Are you trying to, to remove the focus on an actual story, actual reality to put it on something else
08:33and making sure that this regime again is going to somehow gain popularity by its own propaganda and do what?
08:41That's all I have to say to people like that. Because, to be honest, the same people who are, and
08:47as an Iranian, we know, we know war is not a picnic, that people are not going to die.
08:55But, if we're going to lose more people, but in exchange, we're going to get our regime changed, so bit.
09:01And we know that. It's not like we don't know that. And don't get me wrong. I don't want to
09:06challenge you on that.
09:07But Iranian people are highly educated and they're very smart. We know exactly what happens in war.
09:13But if we were killed every single day by our own regime, in so-called normal Iran, safe Iran, isn't
09:21it better for us to get an intervention and some help and throw this regime out and take back our
09:27country?
09:28You must have seen a lot of Muslim groups. They have taken out procession, mourning the death of Khomeini. What
09:38do you have to say about them? And also people from other parts of the world as well.
09:44Yeah. First of all, especially to the woman, I want to say, go and live in Iran for a week.
09:48Then we'll talk. Then we'll talk.
09:50If you're not going to get raped, if you're not going to get arrested, if nothing is going to happen
09:55to you, and maybe in one week, get married, and let's see if you can divorce your husband.
10:01Then we'll talk about Khomeini. Because I have lived in Iran. I know as a woman, you have no right.
10:07A dog doesn't have a right with this regime in Iran.
10:11So, first of all, that's what I want to say. Second of all, if you love Khomeini so much, and
10:17if you support him so much, why weren't you talking against Iranians since January, Feb, and March, where all these
10:28Iranians, millions of Iranians, were going on the street and they were saying death to Khomeini?
10:32Where were you then? Why you weren't supporting Khomeini? I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why. Because these people
10:38are paid by some sort of an organization.
10:42It's either a terrorist organization or political parties or someone has a tie with Iran. And suddenly, daddy died, killed.
10:51Daddy was killed.
10:52So, who's going to pay my bills now? Who's going to fund my whatsoever that they're going to do? And
11:00that's why they're crying.
11:02Otherwise, if you put them in Iran and ask them to live there for a week, I swear, they're going
11:09to run away.
11:10And they're going to say, you know what? Oh, India is great. Oh, India is amazing. I'm going to come
11:13back to India.
11:15We have seen a lot of videos on social media in which we can see a lot of Iranians who
11:21have left Iran.
11:22They are celebrating and, you know, they're also waiting for the regime change, just like you are waiting.
11:27But at the same time, we also have videos in which, you know, there are people who are condemning his
11:33death.
11:34So, do you think Iranians are also divided over this?
11:40No, Iranians are not divided. Because if you know the population, right now, the population who's supporting Khomeini and the
11:47regime is roughly between 21 percent.
11:50Which in 2022, it dropped to, I think, 11 or 14 percent. I'm not sure about the exact number.
11:56But if a population, which is 21 percent in a population in Iran, we have, I think, 92 million is
12:06the number.
12:06So, if that 20 percent comes to the street, supports Khomeini and they don't get killed, it looks like a
12:15peaceful protest.
12:17And then thousands and millions of people in Iran, they go on the street and there is a mass murder.
12:24What does that say about Iran?
12:28That this country, the numbers who are supporting the change of regime is much higher.
12:36But the fact is, because the regime is in power, it's supporting the people who are supporting them.
12:42So, that's why they make it look like bigger.
12:45And that's why they hire reporters, they hire influencers from outside of Iran to come to Iran.
12:52They pay them to go and show Iran that Iran is a beautiful country.
12:57There is no morality police.
12:59Oh, people are exaggerating things.
13:01No, people are, no.
13:02Who doesn't want to have a peaceful and happy life?
13:05Who doesn't want to be free and do whatever they want, wear whatever they want?
13:09Who doesn't want that?
13:10You have seen that even Gulf countries, they are also into this war now.
13:15They were, unwillingly, they were, you know, pulled into this war.
13:19How do you see the entire Middle East situation evolving now?
13:23If you, if I ask from an Iranian point of view, Iranian's point of view.
13:27Well, I'm going to repeat myself.
13:30The regime of Iran is run by a bunch of lunatics, right?
13:36If Iranian officials, they went for so-called the talks, the peaceful talks, right?
13:42Which was a couple of months ago.
13:44Why would they attack UAE?
13:47And if they say that we are Muslim, han에e-musliman hee, yee, wo, Quran, la la la.
13:53If they are that, in Quran says you cannot harm any human.
13:58You cannot, right?
14:00Not only they're killing their own people.
14:02also now they're attacking everybody who has to do anything with America and and and for me what
14:09I'm what I'm seeing in Middle East which I'm I'm surprised Middle East also has to join Israel and
14:16America to come and remove this regime for once and all for a peaceful Middle East because until
14:23this cancerous regime is not out of Middle East we're not going to have a safe Middle East look
14:28look at the look at the regime Iranian regime calling Afghanistan Taliban as official leaders
14:35why do they do that have you have you have you questioned why because they are the same but the
14:42only difference is they are in Iran they are the Taliban are in Afghanistan and they've been
14:48funding Afghanistan Pakistan so many other countries so this is this is something that it has to happen
14:54soon Middle East I believe that they should join hand with US and Israel and remove this regime for
15:00for once and all okay so you have been living in India for more than 15 years I believe I
15:06don't
15:06know the exact years yeah but more than 15 years and since you have worked in India how do you
15:11see
15:13India and which way do you see India's stance currently the way you know situation is evolving
15:18in West Asia see I'm not I'm not a politician and I would not talk about Indian relationships and what
15:26the government is planning or where the relationship lies within or whatsoever and I'm not a politician or
15:32I haven't studied politics to be even qualified to answer that question but what I want to say that
15:37because of Indian government I'm safe and I want to say thank you to them for keeping me safe because
15:43right now I've been having a quite a scary situation and it if it wasn't because of Indian government I
15:50would be definitely don't know where I would have been so thank you for that but other stuff
15:54I'm not qualified to answer that question so who do you think can be prospective leader of Iran
16:01who I think or who I think no I don't think about who's next so who's gonna come next we
16:08have a leader
16:09and his name is Reza Shah Pahlavi and the Iranian people in Iran they have chanted his name again
16:15and again and again people outside of Iran they've chanted his name again and again and one of the
16:20biggest gathering of Canada Munich LA New York everybody was calling one name Reza Shah Pahlavi we have a leader
16:30we are just waiting for us and Israel to throw down this regime and we can get take back our
16:39country and go back to our homeland to our motherland with Reza Shah Pahlavi
16:46what what what are your friends like that you must be in their touch after this entire situation
16:52uh has happened so currently uh I want to understand from their point of view because
16:59you are in touch of your friends and family uh how do they see and because you said that you
17:05there is
17:05no timeline of course there cannot be a timeline for revolution but if we ask from their point of view
17:11are they thinking that situation might settle down in few weeks or few months or it might take years
17:18no Iranians the Iranians are not thinking about the situation settle down what we're thinking and what
17:24we're wanting it's a downfall of the regime and for our Shah King Reza Pahlavi to come back to our
17:32country
17:32and we can move back to our country and what they're thinking is not about the timeline they're just hoping
17:38and praying that this is going to happen soon because we've been fighting and waiting for 48 years
17:43and believe me if we have to stay for another two weeks or three weeks or a month and fight
17:49this
17:49battle we will do because these people they might have taken our children and executed and arrested
17:55and so and so but they haven't broken our souls they haven't and we're still ready to to stay and
18:02fight
18:02until this regime is out yesterday we uh one of my colleague he interviewed uh one of uh other Iranian
18:11actors whose name is Elnaz and she had something very unusual to share about Iran's school she told us
18:22that when she attended school as a child uh they used to say they used to chant prayers and they
18:29they wish
18:30destruction of America and then you know they used to go for their regular classes did it happen
18:37uh in your school also when you were in Iran uh yeah so i i've gone to Islamic school i
18:43have actually
18:44studied Islamic in Islamic school and um every day in the morning the the way that you start your day
18:51is dead to America dead to Israel Allah Akbar dead to uh British and you know um yeah British government
19:00and uh you carry on with your day and the whole history and everything that they teach you it's a
19:06lot of hatred towards a lot of other people and for me when i was a kid i actually asked
19:11i was like
19:12who is this America who is this Israel why we don't like them so much why you know dead to
19:17Israel or dead
19:18to America i actually got punished and i didn't get any answer that's the reality of Iran okay so
19:25before we have you have shared a lot and thank you so much for everything that you shared with us
19:30so before we wrap uh we want to know from you last that you want to go back to your
19:36country and
19:37after going back would you like to pursue acting or some other profession that you know again i'm not
19:43going to talk about myself i'm not going to talk about myself but how i'm going to um end this
19:48conversation is that i request Iranian brothers uh Indian Indian brothers and sisters or whoever watching
19:55this interview please have empathy for Iranian people if you know any Iranian right now if you
20:01have a friend who's in Iran or outside Iran if you're talking to them have empathy towards us and
20:07without you guys are judging us that oh why you like uh your country to go to the war and
20:14judging us
20:15have empathy with Iranians and make sure you're repeating the you're repeating our king's name
20:21reza sharp i love you thank you so much for having me oh no one last question because uh i
20:26think in
20:26some other interview is you also spoke about indian media and you said that you were disappointed
20:32yeah coverage why was that because i think indian media was quite balanced while covering uh
20:37the iran thing that has happened not what that has happened being bad and not knowing to do your job
20:44and acting over smart and thinking that you're doing your job greatly and then pretending to be a
20:50reporter it's even the sadder situation with india today india today in the middle of everything
20:56which was happening the reporter she went to iran and she actually interviewed uh one of the officials
21:02i saw the interview and then after interview there was another video released while she's sitting in
21:08some cafe in iran and she says oh the regime has uh calmed down with the morality police iran it
21:16looks
21:17like a european country or a city in europe it's beautiful people are thriving and and i and i saw
21:24that and i said okay until now indian media wasn't covering at all i wasn't getting permission in india to
21:31go to uh even do a basic candlelight for my people and suddenly this person is in iran and
21:38if you actually research any reporter who's actually honest if you want to go to iran you're
21:45probably going to rot in jail because if you are going to cover the reality of iran which is people
21:50like me lives like my life and my family and there are a lot of other people you're going to
21:55be tagged
21:56as a spy you're going to be rotten in jail then on the other side we have this madam has
22:01gone to iran
22:02so casually talking about how amazing is why that government mass murder 60 000 people just
22:10in january 8th and that just angers me and i and i had to question them and i went on
22:17the channel to
22:17talk to them but they cut me off the moment i was talking about the reality she's pretending that
22:22knows my country better than me that's india media for you or at least some of the channels
22:30we can understand we can understand your sentiments on this and of course yeah hope your friends your
22:36family they are safe in iran and i wish that you know all iranians are safe and thank you so
22:43much
22:43thank you for talking to iranians thank you thank you so much
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