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Hossein Zoghi, Iranian journalist exiled in Catalonia:
“The Iranian government does not warn citizens about the bombings because it wants people to die and then use it as propaganda.”
The Tehran-based actor and theater director compares Iranians’ relationship with their government to a divorce: “Most people no longer want the ayatollahs.”
By Joan Torras
March 4, 2026 — 18:33
Updated March 4, 2026 — 19:35
“The government of the ayatollahs wants people to die so it can present the war as propaganda. That’s why it does not warn the population with any kind of alert when Israeli and U.S. bombings arrive. That is the worst thing about this government in Iran.”
This was one of the blunt statements made on the radio program Versió RAC1, hosted by Toni Clapés, by Iranian journalist, theater director, and actor Hossein Zoghi, who fled the country because of repression by the regime. For now, he has taken refuge in Catalonia.
Only four months ago he arrived in Barcelona thanks to the work of an NGO called Artists at Risk, and he now lives in Ribes de Freser, in the Ripollès region.
He and his wife, the writer Mahsa Mohebali, decided to leave Iran after the government of the ayatollahs effectively banned them from working. Why? Because of their criticism of the regime through articles and interviews in newspapers and on television.
“We were under a lot of pressure, especially my wife, because she is a writer and all of her work was banned four years ago. The intelligence service of the Revolutionary Guard raided our apartment, arrested her, confiscated all our digital devices, and put us on trial. Finally, they revoked our passports for 20 years,” he explains.
Thanks to the NGO, they were able to obtain a visa to travel to Spain. However, this happened only after nine very difficult months:
“It is a very dangerous path, because suddenly the government can prevent you from leaving the country, but we were lucky.”
After nine months we obtained the visa to come to Spain, but it is a very dangerous path.
Hossein Zoghi
Iranian journalist, theater director, and actor
Zoghi explains that life in Iran right now is very difficult.
“They have cut off the internet again, and it is hard to find a way to speak with family from here. And if you manage it, everyone is afraid to say what they think because they fear phone surveillance,” he says.
Despite everything, he adds that people can still access food stores:
“Everyone stays at home and only goes out to buy the things necessary to survive.”
The journalist is convinced that the Iranian regime will eventually fall because he believes most of the population is against it.
“It’s like a divorce. They listen to no one and they care about no one. And most people no longer want them.”
Zoghi says people are tired of being told what to do in every aspect of life:
“They force you to dress how they say, to eat what they say; they tell you how to pray, how to speak, and they control your whole life. And the people of Iran are very joyful people and they don’t want to live like that anymore.”
“They force you to dress, pray, and speak as they say, and the people of Iran — who are very joyful — no longer want to do that.”
Hossein Zoghi
Iranian journalist, theater director, and actor
According to him, the darkest moment of this “divorce” occurred a few months ago, when the Islamic police killed thousands of defenseless civilians who were protesting in the streets.
“I’m sure the regime is on the verge of collapse. I don’t know whether it will happen in a few months or in a year, but it will happen,” he says with conviction.
What he does not know is what the country’s future will look like.
“Everything is very confusing. Some people are now calling for the death of all the men of the regime, but that is impossible; some want a monarchy; some want democracy and a republic. But the current system is on the brink of falling,” he concludes.
