Senator Payman Apologises After Calling Iran ‘Incredible’ and ‘Democratic’

WA Senator Fatima Payman said she realises her comments did not reflect the reality of women who had suffered.

Former Labor Senator Fatima Payman, now an independent for Western Australia, speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on July 4, 2024. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Western Australian Senator Fatima Payman has apologised for recent comments on women in Iran, stating she was relaying the views of attendees at a pro-Iran conference rather than expressing her own opinions.

Speaking to an Iranian news channel in Sydney, Payman described Iran as an “incredible” place for women where they were “involved in the democratic process” and had “their voices heard.”