While politicians and intelligentsia in Iran often blame the US government for racism towards minorities, their track record at home is far from perfect. The Afghans’ experience is a case in point.
When American George Floyd was killed on the street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in late May, his death sparked a global movement demanding justice for minorities. However, the movement has not fully reached the Middle East in general, and Iran in particular. When "Black Lives Matter" echoed across the Middle East, many members of media and intellectuals used it as another example of American hypocrisy. However, a discussion on racism and discrimination is long overdue. The difference is in the victims of oppression, not all of whom are black, in countries across the region.