What’s the most annoying thing about being an Iranian in Britain? Since coming to the UK a year ago, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard one particularly irritating comment. I’ve been told it by Oxford students and professors, Uber drivers and friends. It has felt like a shadow following me. No, it’s not a racist remark; I’ve never encountered this in Britain. It’s being told: ‘I support what your government is doing.’

The greatest challenge has been not losing my temper when someone says it

People say it because they oppose Israel, back Palestine or enjoy resisting US imperialism. Of course, they know little of life under the mullahs.

The greatest challenge has been not losing my temper when someone says it. Believe me, it’s not easy. It’s like having a heated argument with someone, saying nothing, and then, in the hot shower at night, thinking of everything you could have said.

Where do I even start when someone tells me they support the Islamic Republic? ‘I don’t,’ seems too short. I love Iran, but its government is repressive and brutal. It finances terrorist groups in the Middle........

© The Spectator