FOX News

As Max Amini prepares to become the first Iranian American comedian to headline Madison Square Garden on Sunday, he spoke with Fox News Digital about what he described as the "unimaginable" oppression facing the Iranian people under the Islamic Republic’s regime.

Born in Tucson, Arizona, in 1981 to a Persian family, Amini has always felt a deep connection to the country his parents grew up in and to the culture in which he was raised.

"I was born into this family who… promoted the Iranian culture in a very positive way to us," he told Fox News Digital. "So I learned all the best things about my culture. And I was very lucky to be raised in America — in an environment that was very patriotic."

Iran's citizens have taken to the streets in mass protests against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime in recent weeks, with reports claiming thousands of people have been killed as the regime cracks down on the protests. The protests come as the nation faces unrest over economic grievances and political repression.

As arguably the most popular Iranian American comedian in the world, Amini has taken it upon himself to advocate against the horrors facing the people of Iran, and to "promote the idea [of] how important it is to respect human rights."

"Freedom is something that today we understand is the most important thing for any human. If you can imagine how hard it is to be in any country as someone who lives in this beautiful country, can you imagine that they strip away all your rights?" he questioned.

"You're afraid of what you're saying. You can't do simple things in life – singing, dancing. You know, basic, basic things that we take for granted. Women cannot sing or dance in public. They cannot go out with their significant other freely and people cannot exercise their beliefs, certain religions," Amini continued. "It's very unimaginable for people who live in a free country, like the U.S. or European countries, that have so much respect for human rights."

The comedian argued that there's nothing "Islamic" or anything resembling a "Republic" in Iran under the Islamic Republic's leadership, and that "Iranian people are very different" from the government that rules over them.

"They're a terrorist group, they're a mafia, and they're absolutely brutal. They're killing their own people," he said of the Iranian government >>>