Iran grants visa to pro-Palestine American porn star
Our Foreign Staff
Mon, 5 February 2024
Whitney Wright has shared pro-Palestinian information online, including material that supports armed militancy against Israel - X/TWITTER
Iranian women have criticised the Tehran government after it granted a tourist visa to a pro-Palestinian American porn star, despite its brutal hijab crackdown.
Oklahoma-born Whitney Wright shared snippets of her trip to Tehran on social media despite her work in pornography exposing her in theory to criminal charges that carry the death penalty.
Her visit amid the imprisonment of Narges Mohammadi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and women’s rights activist, sparked criticism of the country’s attitude towards women.
Whitney Wright, a US porn star, stands outside the entrance to the former US Embassy in Tehran - X/TWITTER
As an American citizen, Ms Wright would need a visa to visit Iran. Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to questions about the porn star’s trip.
Nasser Kanaani, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, was asked about Ms Wright during a Monday briefing and said he had no information about her.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, quoted an anonymous official claiming that the government issued Ms Wright a visa while not being “aware about the nature of her immoral job”.
The Iranian actress Setareh Pesiani used Ms Wright’s visit as an opportunity to criticise Iran’s hard-line government for its mandatory headscarf policy, which led to the arrest of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini and her death in police custody.
“You punish people of this country in various methods for removal of hijab but you allow a porn actress to come here for tourism!?” Ms Pesiani wrote on Instagram.
Masih Alinejad, a US-based activist who has faced assassination and kidnapping attempts by Iran, also denounced Ms Wright’s visit.
“We the women of Iran want [to] be like Rosa Parks and not Whitney Wright,” Ms Alinejad wrote, referencing the American civil rights icon. “The true warmongers are the agents of the Islamic Republic who will execute you if you be true to yourself.”
An anonymous government official said Tehran was not aware about the nature of Whitney Wright’s “immoral job” - X/TWITTER
The porn star travelled to Iran and visited the former US Embassy in Tehran, which was abandoned after the 1979 hostage crisis.
She described the embassy as a place she “HAD to visit”. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard now runs it as a museum.
Iranian students backing Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini overran the compound after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
“I’m sharing exhibits from a museum that are never seen,” Ms Wright wrote on Instagram. “It’s not an endorsement of the government.”
Ms Wright has previously shared pro-Palestinian information online, including material supporting armed militancy against Israel.
‘Risk of wrongful detention’
In 2016, a British porn star known as Candy Charms travelled to Iran, prompting criticism. But there has been no media coverage of Ms Wright’s visit inside Iran, which is probably a sign of how tightly controlled journalists are after the 2022 demonstrations.
Asked about Ms Wright’s visit, the US State Department told the Associated Press that it had warned Americans to avoid travel to Iran and “exercise increased caution due to the risk of wrongful detention”.
Americans and those with Western ties can be detained and convicted in secret trials to later be used as bargaining chips by Tehran in negotiations with Washington.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is a primary driver of instability across the Middle East region, and it has been since 1979,” the State Department said.
“If Iran actually cared about peace and stability in the Middle East region, or the welfare of the people there, it would cease its support for terrorist organisations.”
Ms Wright did not respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press.
Our Foreign Staff
Mon, 5 February 2024
Whitney Wright has shared pro-Palestinian information online, including material that supports armed militancy against Israel - X/TWITTER
Iranian women have criticised the Tehran government after it granted a tourist visa to a pro-Palestinian American porn star, despite its brutal hijab crackdown.
Oklahoma-born Whitney Wright shared snippets of her trip to Tehran on social media despite her work in pornography exposing her in theory to criminal charges that carry the death penalty.
Her visit amid the imprisonment of Narges Mohammadi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and women’s rights activist, sparked criticism of the country’s attitude towards women.
Whitney Wright, a US porn star, stands outside the entrance to the former US Embassy in Tehran - X/TWITTER
As an American citizen, Ms Wright would need a visa to visit Iran. Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to questions about the porn star’s trip.
Nasser Kanaani, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, was asked about Ms Wright during a Monday briefing and said he had no information about her.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, quoted an anonymous official claiming that the government issued Ms Wright a visa while not being “aware about the nature of her immoral job”.
The Iranian actress Setareh Pesiani used Ms Wright’s visit as an opportunity to criticise Iran’s hard-line government for its mandatory headscarf policy, which led to the arrest of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini and her death in police custody.
“You punish people of this country in various methods for removal of hijab but you allow a porn actress to come here for tourism!?” Ms Pesiani wrote on Instagram.
Masih Alinejad, a US-based activist who has faced assassination and kidnapping attempts by Iran, also denounced Ms Wright’s visit.
“We the women of Iran want [to] be like Rosa Parks and not Whitney Wright,” Ms Alinejad wrote, referencing the American civil rights icon. “The true warmongers are the agents of the Islamic Republic who will execute you if you be true to yourself.”
An anonymous government official said Tehran was not aware about the nature of Whitney Wright’s “immoral job” - X/TWITTER
The porn star travelled to Iran and visited the former US Embassy in Tehran, which was abandoned after the 1979 hostage crisis.
She described the embassy as a place she “HAD to visit”. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard now runs it as a museum.
Iranian students backing Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini overran the compound after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
“I’m sharing exhibits from a museum that are never seen,” Ms Wright wrote on Instagram. “It’s not an endorsement of the government.”
Ms Wright has previously shared pro-Palestinian information online, including material supporting armed militancy against Israel.
‘Risk of wrongful detention’
In 2016, a British porn star known as Candy Charms travelled to Iran, prompting criticism. But there has been no media coverage of Ms Wright’s visit inside Iran, which is probably a sign of how tightly controlled journalists are after the 2022 demonstrations.
Asked about Ms Wright’s visit, the US State Department told the Associated Press that it had warned Americans to avoid travel to Iran and “exercise increased caution due to the risk of wrongful detention”.
Americans and those with Western ties can be detained and convicted in secret trials to later be used as bargaining chips by Tehran in negotiations with Washington.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is a primary driver of instability across the Middle East region, and it has been since 1979,” the State Department said.
“If Iran actually cared about peace and stability in the Middle East region, or the welfare of the people there, it would cease its support for terrorist organisations.”
Ms Wright did not respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press.
Sky News
Updated Mon, 5 February 2024
An American porn star has sparked anger after visiting Iran - despite the risks of being detained and sentenced to the death penalty.
Whitney Wright, 32, filmed herself in Tehran and visited the abandoned US embassy which has been turned into an anti-American museum.
In remarks made on social media, Wright, whose real name is Brittni Rayne Whittington, said she "HAD to visit" the embassy where Iranian students held staff members hostage for 444 days after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
"I'm sharing exhibits from a museum that are never seen," Wright, from Oklahoma, wrote on Instagram in a since-deleted post. "It's not an endorsement of the government."
She filmed herself throughout the Iranian capital despite her work in pornography putting her at risk in theory to criminal charges that carry the death penalty.
Wright also posted several pictures of her visit, including one that showed her in a headscarf and conservative clothing - required by law in Iran - standing next to a lowered US flag at the former embassy.
Posting on her Instagram story on Monday, the adult actress said she doesn't know "half of what is being said here, but I'm no longer in Iran, but elsewhere".
Her visit comes in the wake of Iran imprisoning Nobel Peace Prize laureate and women's rights activist Narges Mohammadi, as well as the country's mandatory headscarf law and nationwide protests over the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini two years ago.
Backlash to visit
Masih Alinejad, a US-based activist who faced assassination and kidnapping attempts by Iran, condemned Wright for making the trip and for alleged remarks where the actress said "if you respect the law, you will be safe in Iran".
She wrote on X: "Iranian women don't want to obey a discriminatory law. Rosa Parks stood up against racist laws in America and became a symbol of resistance.
"We the women of Iran want be like Rosa Parks and not Whitney Wright. And by the way, the true warmongers are the agents of the Islamic Republic who will execute you if you be true to yourself."
Iranian actor Setareh Pesiani also said on Instagram: "You punish people of this country in various methods for removal of hijab but you allow a porn actress to come here for tourism!?"
Questions over visa
Under Iranian law, making pornography is illegal and can carry the death penalty.
Iran Human Rights reports that so far in 2024, some 74 people have been executed by the government.
US citizens also require a visa to visit the country, and it is unclear how the actress obtained one.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the Revolutionary Guard, quoted an anonymous official who claimed those who issued the visa were not "aware about the nature of her immoral job".
Iran's foreign affairs spokesman Nasser Kanani said during a weekly news conference: "Naturally, US citizens face no impediments in travelling to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iranian citizens are able to travel to the US."
The US State Department, when asked about Wright's trip, said it has warned Americans to avoid travelling to Iran and "exercise increased caution due to the risk of wrongful detention".
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