Iranian President, Raisi withdraws from interview over CNN’s Amanpour refusal to wear ‘head scarf’

Ebrahim Raisi, Iranian president, on Thursday, withdrew from a long-planned interview with CNN’s chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, after she declined a last-minute demand to wear a head scarf.

Amanpour, renowned journalist and TV host, took to her twitter account @amanpour, on Thursday, to narrate how Raisi failed to turn up for a scheduled interview, only to send an aide 40 minutes after the scheduled time to demand that she puts on a headscarf.

Amanpour, who is of Iranian decent, said the interview would have been an opportunity for the president to address ongoing protests sweeping across Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini, following her arrest by the “morality police”.

She wrote, “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.”