Tehran-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.
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 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.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)