{"id":2577706,"date":"2026-03-09T11:23:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T15:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iranian-filmmaker-refutes-us-fascism-claims-on-jon-stewart\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T11:25:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T15:25:15","slug":"iranian-filmmaker-refutes-us-fascism-claims-on-jon-stewart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iranian-filmmaker-refutes-us-fascism-claims-on-jon-stewart\/","title":{"rendered":"Iranian filmmaker refutes US \u2018fascism\u2019 claims on Jon Stewart"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Firanian-filmmaker-refutes-us-fascism-claims-on-jon-stewart%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2577706&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>An article from the Washington Examiner discusses Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi\u2019s appearance on The Daily Show wiht Jon stewart and what it calls a clear contrast to claims of \u201cfascism\u201d in the United States. Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha argues that Panahi\u2019s account of a 20-year sentence and a ban on filmmaking or travel in Iran, and Stewart\u2019s reactions, illustrate the severity of political oppression abroad and underscore the strength of the First Amendment in the U.S. Panahi told Stewart that under Iran\u2019s regime he would be punished for \u201cpropaganda against the system,\u201d while Stewart noted the hypothetical consequences if his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/emails-show-cbs-had-desantis-answers-to-questions-before-segment-aired-ignored-warning-from-democrat\/\" title=\"Emails ... CBS Had DeSantis\u2019 Answers To Questions Before Segment Aired, Ignored ...ning From Democrat\">show aired<\/a> in Iran, prompting Concha to call Stewart\u2019s experience living proof of American freedoms.<\/p>\n<p>The piece also touches on ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions, noting casualties in the conflict and remarks by officials such as war Secretary Pete hegseth about potential further losses. It mentions Stewart\u2019s criticisms of President Donald Trump\u2019s Iran policy and his joking references to the war. Additionally,the article reports that Iran\u2019s Assembly of Experts named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father as supreme leader,following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the recent airstrikes.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Iranian filmmaker&rsquo;s testimony to Jon Stewart refutes US &lsquo;fascism&rsquo; claims: Joe Concha<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2527018\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><em>Washington Examiner<\/em> columnist <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/4482408\/beto-orourke-2-comical-portrayal-moderate-james-talarico-texas-senate-race\/\">Joe Concha<\/a> said Sunday that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qGyZbidOfaE\">Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi<\/a>, a recent guest on late-night television host Jon Stewart&rsquo;s show, made the comedian realize &ldquo;how good I have it&rdquo; in the United States.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qGyZbidOfaE\">Stewart spoke with Panahi<\/a> on <em>The Daily Show<\/em> on March 2, during which Panahi detailed the 20-year sentence from Iran&rsquo;s regime that banned him from making films or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/opinion-requiring-proof-of-vaccination-is-a-slippery-slope\/\" title=\"Opinion: Requiring Proof Of Vaccination Is A Slippery Slope\">traveling abroad<\/a>. He added that Stewart would receive &ldquo;execution&rdquo; if his show were airing in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4484729\/iran-russia-us-war-intelligence-sharing\/\">Iran<\/a>, prompting some surprise from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-jimmy-kimmel-says-wallstreetbets-might-be-russian-disruptors\/\" title=\"WATCH: Jimmy Kimmel Says WallStreetBets Might Be \u2018Russian Disruptors\u2019\">late-night host<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4484550\/gavin-newsom-president-2028-joe-concha\/\">Gavin Newsom won&#8217;t be Democratic nominee for president in 2028: Joe Concha<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4484138\/national-symphony-director-kennedy-center-trump\/\">National Symphony director joins Kennedy Center exodus following Trump moves<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4483467\/hypocrisy-iran-military-strikes-democrats-joe-concha\/\">&lsquo;Hypocrisy&rsquo; over Iran military strikes from Democrats: Joe Concha<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Concha said the Iranian government issued its sentence against Panahi because he was &ldquo;producing propaganda against the system,&rdquo; which he called &ldquo;another way&rdquo; of telling the truth.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;So when we hear from journalists and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >late night comedians<\/a> about fascism in this country and their <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/first-amendment\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"881\">First Amendment<\/a> rights being under attack, they have zero idea what they&rsquo;re talking about when you have an example here in terms of what Jafar Panahi told Jon Stewart about his monologues and how they&rsquo;d be treated in Iran,&rdquo; Concha said on Fox News&rsquo;s <em>One Nation with Brian Kilmeade<\/em>, Sunday.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 640px; max-height: 360px; min-width: 320px; min-height: 180px; overflow: hidden;\">\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/share.grabien.com\/share?id=3416904&amp;userid=11311&amp;usertype=user&amp;loginid=9421&amp;playercolor=%23000000&amp;playersize=auto&amp;code=59edad797b50f59dd6f6d7996ead6981\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0px;\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Concha added that Stewart&rsquo;s interview with Panahi made him see &ldquo;living proof&rdquo; that his First Amendment rights are &ldquo;alive and well&rdquo; in the U.S., regardless of who is president.<\/p>\n<p>Stewart is one of many prominent voices critical of President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4484695\/trump-wont-sign-other-bills-save-america-act\/\">Donald Trump&rsquo;s<\/a> strikes against Iran. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=WCkcPcMTYuQ\">He also mocked the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-implore-harris-to-keep-to-the-center-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Democrats implore Harris to keep to the center - Washington Examiner\">conflict&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s name<\/a>, &ldquo;Operation Epic Fury,&rdquo; joking, &ldquo;Is this a war, or did the Paul brothers launch another energy drink?&rdquo; in reference to influencers Logan and Jake Paul.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-on-defense\/4484937\/trump-demands-unconditional-surrender\/\"><strong>INSISTING HE HAS IRAN ON THE ROPES, TRUMP DEMANDS &lsquo;UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER&rsquo;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The current <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4484815\/us-death-toll-iran-war-saudi-arabia\/\">U.S. death toll in this conflict<\/a> stands at seven. War Secretary Pete Hegseth forewarned on Sunday that &ldquo;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4484885\/hegseth-signals-more-casualties-us-israel-operation-iran\/\">there will be more casualties<\/a>&rdquo; as the conflict continues.<\/p>\n<p>Iran&rsquo;s Assembly of Experts named Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4484850\/iran-names-mojtaba-khamenei-new-supreme-leader\/\">succeed his father<\/a>, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country&rsquo;s new supreme leader. Khamenei was killed in the airstrikes last month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Panahi&#8217;s tale refutes US fascism claims, says Concha<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2632,"featured_media":2577707,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26059715907300-e1773060042758.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[18344,75403,75404],"class_list":["post-2577706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-fascism","tag-iranian-filmmaker","tag-jon-stewart-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26059715907300-e1773060042758.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2577706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2632"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2577706"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2577706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2577710,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2577706\/revisions\/2577710"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2577707"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2577706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2577706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2577706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}