“I Feel India Has Betrayed Me”: Mandana Karimi Says She Plans To Move Back To Iran
Mandana Karimi said that she plans to leave India and return to her home country, Iran, following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint military strike carried out by the United States and Israel has sparked sharply divided reactions across Iran. Following the strike, the Islamic Republic launched retaliatory attacks across several countries in the Middle East. Amid the escalating tensions, Iranian-born actress Mandana Karimi, who has been living and working in India for years, has now announced her decision to leave India and return to Iran.
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In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Mandana Karimi spoke about her hopes for the future of her homeland.
She said she envisions “a free Iran where women can do whatever they want, wear whatever they want, and choose whichever university they want to study in.”
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She added that she hopes to see an Iran that maintains positive relationships across the Middle East and is not perceived as a threat to others. “We are a nation that builds the Middle East,” she said, adding that she would return the moment the current regime ends. “The moment they announce that this regime is gone, I will go.”
Mandana Karimi also revealed that she is preparing to leave India altogether.
“Anyway, my bags are packed, and I am leaving India as well. That is the plan because I feel I am breaking up with India,” she said.
The actress admitted that the decision has been emotionally difficult for her, considering she arrived in India at a young age and built her life and career here.
“India has given me everything — my modelling career, my acting career, the love that I got, and the friends that I have,” she shared. However, she added that she now feels she no longer has a voice in the country.
The actress further disclosed that her outspoken stance against the current regime in Iran has strained many of her relationships in Mumbai. Mandana Karimi said she lost several friends after participating in protests and openly speaking about the situation in Iran.
“In these past two months, I have never felt so homesick and lonely in Bombay,” she said.
“I have a lot of friends here, but unfortunately, I went to protests and spoke openly about Iran, and I lost a lot of ‘so-called’ friends,” she added.
Reflecting on the situation, Mandana added that she feels India has betrayed her in some way.
“I feel India has betrayed me in a way. India has given me what it was supposed to give, and now it’s time to move on, and hopefully I am going to move to Iran,” she concluded.
Meanwhile, the geopolitical situation continues to escalate. Following the US-Israel strike that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran launched a wave of retaliatory drone and missile strikes targeting multiple Arab countries in the region. The country is also observing a 40-day public mourning period after the death of Khamenei, who had succeeded Ruhollah Khomeini as Iran’s Supreme Leader.
