Debra Messing Speaks Out on Activists' Silence About Iran
Debra Messing shared a video on Instagram on Sunday that criticized activists who have not shown support for the protesters in Iran. In her caption, she wrote, “Brilliant. All of it.” The video she reposted described the situation in Iran as a “moral litmus test.” It challenged various groups and individuals, including activists, human rights organizations, journalists, influencers, and international bodies, to express their full support for the people demonstrating in Iran. The video emphasized that if these groups are unable to show strong, heartfelt support for those risking their lives, they should not be taken seriously.
Why It Matters
Protests have spread across Iran following a significant drop in the value of its currency against the U.S. dollar. This depreciation has led to a sharp increase in the prices of food and other essential goods nationwide. Reports from multiple news outlets, including the Associated Press, indicate that protesters have gathered in cities, chanting anti-government slogans. According to reports, at least 572 people have lost their lives during the nationwide demonstrations.
What To Know
Messing’s posts come at a time when former President Donald Trump expressed support for the Iranian protesters earlier this month. He stated, “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” On Sunday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, “The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options.” He added, “I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States. Iran wants to negotiate.”
Supporters of the Iranian people have also gathered in the U.S. In Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran, a large crowd of demonstrators assembled on Sunday. Some waved the flag of Iran before the Islamic Revolution. The Los Angeles police responded after a U-Haul box truck drove down a street where the protesters were demonstrating, causing them to move out of the way and chase the vehicle. The driver, who was not identified, was detained “pending further investigation,” according to a statement from the police. No one was seriously injured, as reported by the Associated Press.
Tensions in the Middle East have previously led to protests in the U.S. During the conflict between Israel and Hamas, pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held across the country, particularly on college campuses. Students at universities across the U.S. demanded that schools stop doing business with Israel or any companies that supported the war in Gaza. These demands were linked to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, a long-standing campaign against Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians. Many protesters used the phrase, “from the river to the sea,” which the Anti-Defamation League has labeled as an “antisemitic slogan.”
While the U.S. does not have the same level of business ties to Iran as it does to Israel, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated in April of last year that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “has no opposition to American investors.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, speaking about Iran’s threats of retaliation in comments to reporters on Sunday, said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in comments reported by Al Jazeera, stated: “That’s why the demonstrations turned violent and bloody to give an excuse to the American president to intervene.”
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