The US-Israel joint military strikes on Iran led to the death of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his family on Sunday. Born in Iran, actor Mandana Karimi, who is currently based in India, has spoken about the situation people in Iran have been facing for many decades.
Mandana Karimi talks about people under Iranian regime
The actor said in an interview with NDTV that people in Iran have been protesting against the regime for many years now. Mandana said, “For years, people inside Iran have protested with our bare hands. We have lost people. We have lost mothers, kids, universities – the list just goes on and on. No one celebrates deaths lightly. But this regime, what they have done to us… and I’m sure you’ve seen the videos from the past couple of months – January 8 and January 9 – when the mass murder of 1,000 people happened. Iranians started dancing and celebrating the deaths of their own people. What happened is that my own family, my own friends, when they call me, they say, ‘Can you believe how many are dead?'”
Mandana on people celebrating
She added that many in the Iranian community will celebrate now. “We’re going to be celebrating because it’s been so many years that we’ve been asking the world, please help us. This regime is a cancerous cell in the Middle East. And then you can see, because when you see their attacks, it’s happening within the Middle East. It’s not planned or organised, they’re hitting restaurants or places like that. And that’s how we feel. We have been fighting for over 48 years,” she added. Iran has followed the regime of the Islamic Republic since 1979.
Mandana upset with protests in India supporting Iranian regime
Mandana said that she was disappointed over the protests taking place in India supporting the Iranian regime. Feeling heartbroken, she added that “abhi mera dil bahut toot gaya hai because jo protest ho raha hai India mein woh regime ke support mein (hai). Main do hafte pehle candlelight (protest) karne gayi thi for my people (now my heart is broken because the protest that is happening in India that is in support of the regime. I went for a candlelight protest two weeks ago for my people), and I did not get permission.”
Following the US-Israel strikes, Iran launched a wave of strikes, using drones and missiles targeting multiple Arab countries in the region, as a retaliatory action by the Islamic Republic. Iran is observing 40 days of public mourning following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ayatollah Khamenei was the successor to Ruhollah Khomeini.
About Mandana’s projects in India
Mandana made a guest appearance in the film Roy. She also starred in Bhaag Johnny, Main Aur Charles, and Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3. She was a contestant in the reality TV shows Bigg Boss 9 and Lock-Upp. The actor was also part of Ishqbaaaz.
