Taslima Nasreen backs regime change in Iran, says ‘Muslims most unsafe in Muslim countries’

Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen at Network18's Rising Bharat Summit 2026 on February 28, 2026.

• Taslima Nasreen urges regime change in Iran for women's rights
• She says Muslims are safer in secular democracies like India
• Nasreen condemns Islamist politics in Bangladesh, Afghanistan

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Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen on Saturday delivered a sharp defence of regime change in certain Islamic nations, arguing that Iran’s clerical establishment “must be changed” and asserting that Muslims are safer in secular democracies such as India than in many Muslim-majority countries.

Speaking at the Rising Bharat Summit 2026 hosted by Network18, Nasreen was asked whether powerful nations have the right to engineer regime change in countries they “do not like”, with references ranging from Iran to Bangladesh.

Nasreen, who has been living in exile in New Delhi, said each country’s circumstances are different but maintained that Iran requires political transformation.

“I think that in Iran, the mullah regime should be changed… so many women were murdered because they did not want to wear the compulsory hijab. So this mullah regime must be changed and a secularist government should be there in Iran,” she said.

Her remarks came hours after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.

Nasreen referred to protests in Iran over compulsory hijab and said a secular system based on equality and justice was essential for women’s freedom.

“In Iran, you will find that many Muslim women do not want to wear hijab, but some Muslim women want to wear hijab,” she added.

Criticism of Islamist politics in Bangladesh

Turning to Bangladesh, Nasreen criticised what she described as the growing influence of Islamist forces and reiterated her long-standing opposition to religion-based politics.

“Nowhere is radical Islam okay,” she said, as the discussion broadened to the global presence of radical Islamist movements.

She also condemned the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan, citing bans on girls’ education and restrictions on women’s employment, and argued that governance rooted in religious law undermines human rights.

Claims on Muslims saftey in India

Addressing concerns about the status of Muslims in India, Nasreen pushed back against narratives that they face systemic insecurity.

“Muslims in India, they never think of leaving India for any Muslim country. So it means that they are living in safety in India. Muslims are safe in Europe, America, India, and any non-Muslim countries. Muslims are most unsafe in Muslim countries,” she said.

In contrast, she claimed that minorities in Bangladesh, particularly Hindus, often live in fear and migrate when possible. She argued that Muslims seeking refuge tend to prefer secular democracies in Europe, America and India over Muslim-majority states, citing greater freedom of expression and gender equality.