CNN Journo refuses to wear Hijab to Interview Iran’s President
Christiane Amanpour, a well-known journalist, is receiving praise online for refusing to comply with the Iranian president’s request that she cover her head during their interview.
As a result of her refusal to meet with him on Wednesday, President Ahmed Raisi of Iran canceled a long-awaited interview with a seasoned journalist from CNN. The interview was canceled amid countrywide protests in Iran following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who reportedly suffered a “heart attack” shortly after being taken into custody by morality police for failing to comply with the country’s law requiring women to wear a headscarf in public.
It was the months of Muharram and Safar, thus Amanpour tweeted that Raisi’s assistant had made it clear that an interview would not take place unless she wore a headscarf out of “a matter of respect”
According to CNN’s report, Amanpour graciously declined on behalf of herself, CNN, and other female journalists because it is not necessary.
She also posted an image of herself sitting at the interview table by herself, which went viral throughout the world. There was never an interview, she penned. It would have been crucial to have a conversation with President Raisi now, while protests in Iran continue and people are being killed.
Twitter users responded positively to the message in a resounding way.
The message was, “Respect Christiane!” If you are a journalist, you will not find a stronger defender anywhere else.
This was a pivotal choice; giving in would have been a boost to the dictatorship (as Raisi was requesting) and a slap in the face to the Iranian women striving for equal rights, as another person put it.
Thank you for standing up to this man on behalf of all Muslim women, even those like me who choose not to wear the hijab.
Likewise, as a Muslim woman who wears a hijab (and agrees it is not essential, and even if it were, it should not be forced!), I appreciate Christiane for refusing to give in to his demand. Iran’s female population deserves more, and so do their female friends in the United States.
Amanpour, 64, who was born and raised in Tehran, said she regularly wears a head scarf while reporting in Iran to comply with the country’s rules but that she was not required to do so when she interviewed a senior Iranian official outside of Iran.
