In a world where everything and everybody is under scrutiny, thanks to mobile cameras and social media, news disseminators often become the news themselves. As anti-hijab protests rage on the streets of Iran, a tweet from prominent CNN journalist and television news anchor, Christiane Amanpour, sparked a frenzy of reports. Amanpour said that she was scheduled to interview Iran President Ebrahim Raisi in New York, on the sidelines of the UN Assembly.

The president’s aide reportedly said that Amanpour must wear a hijab (the Islamic headscarf) while interviewing Raisi. Amanpour declined, saying this was New York. The interview was subsequently scrapped. The piece of head covering is one of the most charged political symbols in recent times.