I have been appalled to watch the US and Israeli bombings in Iran and have felt both very powerless and yet compelled to do something. I shared some anti-war posts on my social media. Lots of people liked them but I also received a very angry message from an Iranian-born friend now living in the diaspora, who said that the intervention was necessary to remove the regime and that I couldn’t possibly understand the nuances because I am not myself Iranian. My friend went on to say that non-Iranians should not be taking a position on the conflict at all.
I was taken aback, as I think we all have a right to have an opinion on political situations, even if we are not directly involved. However, her words have stuck with me and now I am second-guessing myself. Do I have the right to post my opinions about the war? And what good does it do anyway?
