In a recent interview actor Elnaaz Norouzi shared a deeply personal and thought, provoking perspective on the current situation in Iran arguing that the country’s identity has been distorted by decades of theocratic rule and that its people are demanding for freedom and democracy.

Born in Tehran and raised in Europe, Norouzi has watched from afar how protests and unrest have rippled through her homeland. She stressed that what many outsiders see as “Iran” today is really the Islamic Republic, a political system established after the 1979 revolution that has governed the country for nearly five decades.

“Iran is complex” she said, pointing to the intertwining of political bodies like the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Basij and allied groups. Norouzi believes these structures have overshadowed Iran’s rich, diverse history and pushed the nation toward radicalisation.

One of the most striking parts of Norouzi’s comments was her reminder that Iran’s history is far older and more varied than its current political identity. She described an Iran that before the Arab conquests and establishment of the Islamic Republic, was rooted in Zoroastrianism hosted Christian and Baha’i communities and included people from many backgrounds.

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