Farideh Moradkhani, Niece of Supreme Leader, Asks World to Cut Ties With Iran

Among the numerous protests raging across the country, Farideh Moradkhani, the scion of the Iranian elite and niece to the Supreme Leader, is among those who have been caught up in the melee. The plethora of demonstrations have been capped off by the largest number of deaths attributed to Iran’s security forces in years. Hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested, and more than 450 people have been killed in the span of three days. The latest round of protests erupted after the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in a police detention center. The death of Amini, who was 22 at the time of her death, kicked off the protests. The death of Amini has quickly evolved into the biggest challenge to Iran’s clerical establishment in many years.

Aside from the usual suspects, Moradkhani is the only one of her relatives to have been caught up in the demonstrations. Her uncle Ali Arangeh was a high-ranking Shiite cleric and his sister married Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a man of the cloth. She herself is a notable dissenter, having been a vocal opponent of Iran’s policies in the past. Moradkhani’s branch of the family has been involved in the opposition for years. Ayatollah Khamenei’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

The biggest omission was the fact that Farideh has since been arrested for her protests.