Media contributions
1Media contributions
Title Over the last few months, a troubling silence has settled over public discussion about Iran. Many people who care deeply about justice, human dignity and the suffering of Palestinians have found themselves hesitant to speak about the situation facing Iranians. This silence is rarely indifference. More often, I believe, it is the result of confusion — a fear that standing with the Iranian people might compromise solidarity with Palestinians, or entangle them in political outcomes they do not wish to endorse. Degree of recognition National Media name/outlet ABC Religion & Ethics Media type Website Country/Territory Australia Date 30/01/26 Description This essay examines how moral confusion surrounding the Israel–Palestine conflict has produced a damaging silence about Iran’s internal repression, particularly among those committed to justice and human dignity. It argues that solidarity has too often been distorted into ideological alignment, leading to a false moral binary in which concern for Palestinians is perceived to preclude standing with Iranians. By distinguishing ethical solidarity from the instrumentalisation of suffering, the piece challenges the notion that the Islamic Republic can credibly represent Palestinian dignity while violently oppressing its own people. It concludes that moral clarity—not selective silence—is a responsibility, and that affirming Iranian freedom and Palestinian dignity are not competing commitments but mutually reinforcing ethical imperatives. URL https://www.abc.net.au/religion/milad-haghani-iran-palestine-when-solidarity-becomes-paralysis/106287910 Persons Milad Milani