CNN Anchor Walked Out Of An Interview After Being Told To Wear A Hijab

Daphne Moon 4 2 min read

There are a few people at CNN who have an ounce of integrity—Not many but Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour has been in the game long enough that she’s above the small antics of lackeys like Don Lemon. After reportedly waiting 45 minutes to interview Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi she was informed that she had to wear a hijab—In America.

President Raisi is in major trouble back home after several girls and women were beaten and murdered for not wearing their headscarves (hijab) correctly. Now Iran faces the second major protest in recent years. His demand to have Amanpour was really to show the women in his home country that the US is behind him—Or rather he commands that much respect, even here.

Yeah, no… Sorry, bub.

Amanpour explained later in an interview with her network that she has interviewed every Iranian president since the yearly 90’s and has never been asked to wear a hijab on American soil. It’s required in their country, but not here. She blasted the whole thing in a statement on Twitter:

“Protests are sweeping Iran & women are burning their hijabs after the death last week of Mahsa Amini, following her arrest by the “morality police”. Human rights groups say at least 8 have been killed. Last night, I planned to ask President Raisi about all this and much more.

This was going to be President Raisi’s first ever interview on US soil, during his visit to NY for UNGA. After weeks of planning and eight hours of setting up translation equipment, lights and cameras, we were ready. But no sign of President Raisi.

40 minutes after the interview had been due to start, an aide came over. The president, he said, was suggesting I wear a headscarf, because it’s the holy months of Muharram and Safar.

I politely declined. We are in New York, where there is no law or tradition regarding headscarves. I pointed out that no previous Iranian president has required this when I have interviewed them outside Iran.

The aide made it clear that the interview would not happen if I did not wear a headscarf. He said it was “a matter of respect,” and referred to “the situation in Iran” – alluding to the protests sweeping the country.

Again, I said that I couldn’t agree to this unprecedented and unexpected condition. And so we walked away. The interview didn’t happen. As protests continue in Iran and people are being killed, it would have been an important moment to speak with President Raisi.”

The Iranian President was probably counting on an interview here in the states with an American anchor wearing a headdress at his command, but he was sadly mistaken.

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