During a heated exchange on “The View,” Whoopi Goldberg claimed that living in the United States can be as brutal as life under the Iranian regime. She pointed out harsh historical punishments in the U.S., such as lynching Black people and tying gay individuals to cars, equating these to human rights abuses in Iran.

Goldberg argued that both countries are similar in their capacity for violence and repression, comparing the U.S. to Iran under the leadership of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. She emphasized that murdering someone for their differences remains unacceptable, no matter who commits it.

Alyssa Farah Griffin challenged this view, highlighting that the current U.S. is not comparable to Iran in 2025. She explained that in Iran, women are legally required to wear hijabs, and showing hair or arms can result in severe punishment or death, including by the morality police. Griffin added that she wouldn’t even be able to wear her outfit in Tehran today.

Goldberg insisted that the core issue is the violence and injustice, regardless of location, stating that murdering for differences isn’t justifiable. When Griffin reiterated that living in the U.S. is not the same as Iran, Goldberg responded, “Not if you’re Black,” pointing out ongoing racial violence in America.

Griffin countered by saying that black Americans are often concerned about their safety, a struggle she believes is different from the challenges in Iran. Goldberg responded by recalling that Black Americans only gained voting rights in 1965 and that Iran lacks free elections, asserting their situations are not comparable.

The conversation concluded with Goldberg acknowledging the complexity, and the hosts discussing the importance of understanding different perspectives. This debate occurs amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, following recent Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.