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Elnaaz Norouzi's Powerful Stand: Why Iranians Fight a Regime, Not Faith

Iranian-born Indian actress Elnaaz Norouzi shared a strong message on Instagram about faith and freedom. She makes a clear distinction between personal belief and the extremist ideology used by regimes to control people. Norouzi calls for unity, asking people to separate politics from religion and stand together for humanity. Her statement supports the ongoing protests in Iran against a government accused of weaponizing religion.

Key Points: Elnaaz Norouzi on Iran Protests, Rejecting Religious Extremism

  • Actress Elnaaz Norouzi states you can be Muslim while rejecting radical Islamism and tyranny
  • She stresses humanity matters above all religions and political divisions
  • Norouzi calls for separating politics from religion to fight oppression together
  • Her comments come amid sustained protests in Iran against repression and economic conditions
2 min read

Elnaaz Norouzi: Iranians are rising against regime that weaponized religion to control every aspect of life

Iran-born actress Elnaaz Norouzi separates faith from extremism, supports Iranian protests against a regime weaponizing religion, and calls for unity.

Elnaaz Norouzi: Iranians are rising against regime that weaponized religion to control every aspect of life
"Iranians are not rising up against a religion. They are rising up against a regime that weaponized religion to control every aspect of life. - Elnaaz Norouzi"

Mumbai, Jan 14

Iran-born Indian Actress Elnaaz Norouzi has shared a strong message on faith, humanity, and the misuse of religion, saying that belief should never be confused with extremism or oppression.

In a note she penned on Instagram, Elnaaz said one can be Muslim and still reject radical Islamism, adding that faith and extremism are not the same.

She wrote: "A small reminder for anyone who needs to hear it: You can be Muslim and still reject radical Islamism. Faith and extremism are not the same thing. I was born Muslim, and I will never support tyranny or injustice done in the name of religion."

The actress emphasised that being a believer does not mean pretending one's community is perfect, but having the courage to call out what is wrong.

"Being a believer doesn't mean pretending your community is perfect, it means being honest enough to call out what's wrong," she wrote.

Stressing that humanity matters above all else, Elnaaz said she has met both good and bad people across all faiths, and that the actions of a few should not define an entire religion.

"Here's what matters - HUMANITY I don't care if you're Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Hindu... I've met incredible people across all faiths, and I've also met bad people across all faiths. The bad ones don't make the entire religion bad. "

Asking for unity, the actress, whose latest relase is "Mastiii 4", requested people to separate politics from religion and stand together for what is right.

"So let's separate politics from religion and fight for what's right, together! Stand with humanity. It will always age better than defending oppression. Elnaaz Norouzi."

Elnaaz captioned the post: "Iranians are not rising up against a religion. They are rising up against a regime that weaponized religion to control every aspect of life. We respect all religions but we don't want to be ruled by any.

Iran has been facing sustained protests over political repression and economic conditions, with international rights groups reporting mass arrests and killings. Protesters are expressing dissent and calling for significant political and governance-related changes.

Meanwhile, UN human rights experts had condemned serious human rights violations during nationwide demonstrations in Iran that began on December 28, 2025, and called for immediate action to protect protesters and uphold the right to life.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Aman W
Respect for saying this. It's a very balanced view. As an Indian, I appreciate her message of unity. We have so many religions here, and the key is to respect each other, not let politicians use our faiths as tools.
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Rahul R
While I agree with the sentiment, it's easy for a celebrity living in Mumbai to comment. The people in Iran are facing real bullets. Hope her words translate into some tangible support for the protesters.
S
Sarah B
"Humanity above all else" - this is the core philosophy India was built on, Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava. Her words are a timely reminder for our own country too, where sometimes we forget this basic principle.
K
Karthik V
Powerful statement. The line about separating politics from religion is crucial. In a secular democracy like ours, we must constantly guard against any ideology that seeks to merge the two and impose a single way of life.
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Nidhi U
It takes guts for someone with family roots in Iran to speak out like this. Her message is universal. Bad people exist in every group, but we shouldn't stereotype an entire community. More power to her! 👏

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