British-Iranian comedian Omid Djalili has spoken out about the ongoing protests in Iran and the regime's deadly crackdown. The 60-year-old actor and comedian, known for roles in films such as 'The Mummy' and 'Gladiator', has been using his social media platform to amplify the voices of Iranians affected by the internet blackout imposed by the Islamic Republic.
Protests began in late December over soaring prices and a collapsing currency, quickly escalating into nationwide demands for an end to the government. On 8 January, the regime imposed an internet shutdown and began firing lethal rounds at protesters. Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, say the blackout was an attempt to cover up massacres that occurred over 8-9 January. The death toll remains unverified, but medical reports collected by The Sunday Times estimate at least 16,500-18,000 deaths. The International Centre for Human Rights (ICHR) puts the figure at over 43,000 killed and 350,000 injured, with 10,000 blinded.
Djalili, who was born in London to Iranian parents and has visited Iran only twice, has long been an outspoken voice on human rights abuses in the country. He was particularly moved by the 2022 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman who died in police custody after being arrested for improperly wearing a hijab. Djalili and his family are followers of the Baha'i faith, which has faced systematic persecution since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
As tensions rise between Washington and Tehran, with President Donald Trump ordering a US Navy armada off Iran's coast, Djalili believes the time for negotiation with the regime is over. He supports the EU's decision to place Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on its terrorist list, making it harder for countries to deal with the regime. While acknowledging fears about foreign intervention based on past US campaigns in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, Djalili insists that Iranian people will accept support from anyone standing up for them.
