03 March,2026 11:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Elnaaz Norouzi
Actor Elnaaz Norouzi, who is originally from Iran, recently reacted to the assassination of the country's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. The 86-year-old, who ruled Iran for nearly four decades, was reportedly killed during an attack launched by Israel and the US. While a section of people celebrated his death, many Iranians also mourned the demise of their Supreme Leader.
In a new interview, the Sacred Games actor clarified that she opposed the regime and not the country as a whole. She also said that she cannot return to her homeland as long as the current government remains in power.
In an interview with Bombay Times, Elnaaz spoke about the Iran-Israel war and her reason for reacting strongly to Khamenei's death. She said, "When we speak about Iran, I would like to differentiate between the Islamic Republic, which has occupied the country, and the people of Iran. The majority of Iranian people are smart and educated, and their beliefs are not the same as those of the Islamic Republic. At one point, Iran had a great relationship with Israel. If you look at Cyrus the Great, the man who wrote the first human rights charter in the world, he was Persian and freed the Jews from Babylon. We even had a great relationship with the USA during the time of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. It is just the Islamic Republic that constantly says it wants to wipe Israel off the map. A month ago, many Iranians who protested against this regime were killed."
Elnaaz moved to India in her 20s and joined the film industry. At the age of 8, she had moved to Germany from Iran with her family. The actress said she has not visited Iran in over a decade and cannot return now.
"I can't set foot in Iran. If I do, I think they will kill me. I couldn't go to Iran because of what happened during the 2022 movement, when they killed Mahsa Amini," she said, referring to the 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman whose death in police custody in September 2022 ignited widespread protests. Arrested by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly, her death became a symbol of resistance against oppression.
"People took to the streets and said, âWe don't even want this hijab; this is not ours.' Back then, I spoke out against Khamenei and the regime, and my family was really worried about my safety. If people die in this war, I'm going to blame the Ayatollah because people have come out multiple times saying they do not want him, and he did not step down. It is a dictatorship," she added.
