Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moayeri is upset with President Donald Trump for tweeting a picture that she took of a protest in Iran without her permission.
Moayeri says the president using her photo is “a great shame” for her and causes her “deep sorrow.”
The president tweeted an edited version of Moayeri’s picture Monday to address the 40th anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. The pictured was captioned, “[Forty] years of corruption. [Forty] years of repression. [Forty] years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure. The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future.”
40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The regime in Iran has produced only #40YearsofFailure. The long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future. pic.twitter.com/bA8YGsw9LA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2019
Moayeri responded on Instagram to the president’s use of her photo, saying that “it would be a great honor” for her if her photo was used to symbolize freedom around the world but then goes on to say that President Trump using her photo is “a great shame for her.”
Moayeri blames Trump for the inflation of Iran’s currency, poverty, and the “travel ban” policy that would prevent her from coming to the U.S. (RELATED: Report: Man Hanged In Iran On Charges Of Kidnapping, Homosexuality)
“My name is Yalda Moayeri, I’m 37 years old and I am a photojournalist from Iran. I am also the photographer of this photo. I took this picture a year ago during demonstrations around Tehran University. The circumstances were very difficult.
I wasn’t able to reveal my identity for six months because I thought that being known as the photographer I might get me into trouble. But I came out as it’s important to show the situation in Iran in a clear and transparent manner.It would be a great honor for me if this image would be a symbol of freedom everywhere in the world.
But having president Trump use it without my permission in a tweet in Persian even is a great shame for me and causes me deep sorrow.
Because of his policies I, my family and my friends are forced to live under sanctions that are devastating our lives. Our currency lost 70 percent of its value. We all became poor. Even if I could go to America financially (I cannot) to visit my dad, I wouldn’t be able to go, as he has imposed a travel ban on the Iranians he says he cares so deeply for.
This image shows my people and is for my people, and shouldnt be abused by this Mens in Washington.
The picture in question is of a protest at Tehran University, depicting a protester charging through a cloud of smoke and tear gas with her arm raised. The protests came in response to economic issues. (RELATED: Trump Calls Out Iranian Regime For Producing ’40 Years Of Failure’ On Revolution’s Anniversary)
Moayeri told the New York Times that since she cannot sue the President of the United States, coming to the press was the best she could do to take action: “‘It’s not as if I can sue the President of the United States as an Iranian, so I guess this is all I can do,’ she said.”