Why Huda Kattan Is Facing Backlash Over Iran Posts

Huda Kattan, the Iraqi-American founder of the global cosmetics brand Huda Beauty, is facing widespread online backlash following her comments and social media activity related to the unrest in Iran.

The controversy began after Kattan reposted a video showing a pro-government protester in Iran burning images associated with opposition figures. Critics accused her of amplifying content that appeared to support Iran’s ruling regime, sparking intense reaction across social platforms.

In response, some users called for boycotts of Huda Beauty products, while others posted videos destroying or discarding items from the brand.

Kattan addressed the criticism in a series of emotional Instagram Stories, rejecting claims that she supports Iran’s government. She said she was “wrongly characterised” and emphasized that her posts were anti-war rather than political endorsements. Kattan added that she does not feel informed enough to take a public stance on Iran’s internal politics and questioned the role of foreign intervention, referencing her own experiences as an Iraqi whose country underwent regime change.

She also acknowledged the pain felt by Iranians affected by the ongoing unrest and said she understood why emotions were running high. However, she stopped short of endorsing calls for regime change and said she would refrain from commenting further on Iran, calling the situation deeply sensitive.