Mandana Karimi on Iran unrest, lack of empathy: Don't explain my pain to me

Mandana Karimi shared a heartfelt message about the emotional impact of the Iran unrest. She emphasised the vital role of women and called for empathy amid political backlash.

Irani actor and model Mandana Karimi shared a long, deeply personal note on social media, speaking about the emotional toll of the ongoing unrest in Iran and the conversations she says have left her feeling dismissed and disrespected.

In her post, Mandana said she has been staying home more often, not out of isolation but exhaustion. “I’m tired of explaining my pain to people who don’t want to understand it,” she wrote, adding that the Iranian revolution has altered everyday life for Iranians, both inside and outside the country. “Our conversations are not normal anymore. Our phone calls are not normal anymore. Every day we wake up to horrifying news," she said.

Recalling a recent interaction, Mandana said she was told that the Iranian regime was not 'terrorists', that protesters were being “emotional”, and that Iranians were manipulated into taking to the streets. She said the exchange made her realise that facts mean little without empathy. “Have you lost anyone in Iran? Have you received phone calls at 3 am not knowing if your family is alive?” she asked.

Mandana also addressed why she continues to speak from India, saying, “This country is safe. When police talk to me, they don’t beat me. They don’t shoot me. They don’t disappear me.” She stressed that Iranians protesting within the country started the movement on their own and that those abroad were amplifying their voices, not creating narratives.

A post shared by Mandana Karimi (@mandanakarimi)

In her caption, Mandana revealed that the post was triggered after she stepped out seeking comfort from an Iranian friend but instead faced remarks she felt disrespected her pain and her people. She described the backlash she receives as driven not just by politics but also by ego, particularly discomfort with women speaking out.