CNN’s Amanpour says Raisi interview canceled over demand she wear headscarf

CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour says she canceled an interview with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi after he demanded that she wear a head covering.

Amanpour says after Raisi was 40 minutes late for the planned interview when an aide came up and demanded she wear a headscarf.

When she declined, “the aide made it clear that the interview would not happen if I did not wear a headscarf. He said it was ‘a matter of respect,’ and referred to ‘the situation in Iran’ – alluding to the protests sweeping the country,” Amanpour says.

This was going to be President Raisi’s first ever interview on US soil, during his visit to NY for UNGA. After weeks of planning and eight hours of setting up translation equipment, lights and cameras, we were ready. But no sign of President Raisi. 2/7

— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) September 22, 2022