Actor Mandana Karimi has spoken publicly about the Middle East crisis, linking it to decades of turmoil in Iran and the emotional strain on Iranians worldwide.
In an interview with NDTV, Mandana described years of protests, repeated crackdowns, and mounting grief, while also reacting strongly to demonstrations taking place in India.
Mandana said the current conflict cannot be separated from Iran’s long political history since 1979, when the Islamic Republic took control after the revolution. According to Mandana, frustration among many Iranians has grown over decades of repression, leaving families divided and exhausted inside the country and across the diaspora.
Middle East crisis and decades of unrest in Iran
Speaking about protests over many years, Mandana recalled repeated losses for ordinary people and institutions. “For years, people inside Iran have protested with our bare hands. We have lost people,” Mandana told NDTV. She continued, “We have lost mothers, kids, universities, the list just goes on and on.” Mandana said these memories still shape how many Iranians view the Middle East crisis.
Mandana described how Iranians have looked abroad for support while facing the authorities. “We have been asking the world, please help us. We have been fighting for over 48 years,” Mandana said, calling the leadership a destabilising force in the region. “This regime is a cancerous cell in the Middle East,” Mandana added. Mandana mentioned calls from relatives and friends in Iran, saying, “When they call me, they say, ‘Can you believe how many are dead?'”
Middle East crisis, protests in India and global reactions
Mandana also spoke about protests in India that Mandana believes back the Iranian authorities. “Abhi mera dil bahut toot gaya hai because jo protest ho raha hai India mein woh regime ke support mein (hai),” Mandana told NDTV. Mandana said a recent attempt to attend a candlelight gathering for the people of Iran failed because permission was not granted, which left Mandana upset.
The Middle East crisis that Mandana referred to escalated after large military strikes on Iranian targets on February 28 by the United States and Israel. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, aged 86, died in those attacks. Iran replied with missile and air strikes against Israel and several Gulf countries, raising concern about a wider regional war.
These developments, combined with Iran’s long history of protest and crackdowns, underline why Mandana and many Iranians feel deep distress. Mandana’s remarks reflect divisions within Iranian communities over the regime and the Middle East crisis, as well as the mixed reactions seen in countries like India, where public demonstrations and solidarity events continue. Inputs from agencies.