An Iranian American Muslim fashion blogger was told on a US television network “you don’t sound like an American” after she criticised US policy in the Middle East.

Hoda Katebi, 23, was invited onto Chicago’s WGN News morning show to speak about her book, Tehran Streetstyle, but was caught off guard when one of the presenters asked her about nuclear weapons.

The interview began with a brief discussion of Katebi’s childhood in Oklahoma, and her experiences wearing the hijab, or headscarf, in a conservative and predominantly white state.

But one of the presenters made a sharp turn to geopolitics, and asked: “Let’s talk about nuclear weapons. Some of our viewers may say we cannot trust Iran. What are your thoughts?”

Katebi responded: “I don’t think we can trust this country [the US]. When we see the legacy of this country and the violence that it has not only created but also created the capacity for, a lot of these weapons in the Middle East are completely brought in by the Unites States.”



This exchange prompted the presenter to tell Katebi: “A lot of Americans might take offence to that. You’re an American, you don’t sound like an American when you say [this] … you know what I mean.”

Iran does not have nuclear weapons. Under the terms of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with the world’s major powers, it agreed to roll back its nuclear programme, and allow regular inspections, in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

Katebi, who studied international relations and Middle Eastern politics at University of Chicago, shrugged off the comment with a laugh – which she told the Guardian was prompted by the “absurdity” of the question.

“I don’t think I would have gotten the same question if I was white – despite being born and raised in this country,” she said.

Katebi said she had sensed a shift in attitudes towards Muslims in the US since the election of Donald Trump. “People now feel very confident in being able to voice Islamophobic opinions that might have kept to themselves before,” she said.

A WGN spokesperson said: “WGN-TV anchor Robin Baumgarten spoke with Hoda Katebi this morning. Robin apologized to Hoda and they had a constructive dialogue about micro-aggressions. WGN, Robin and Hoda will be working together to use this as a teachable moment to encourage education and a deeper understanding of race, religion and identity struggles.”



