US-Iranian actress wears powerful message against Trump's Muslim ban

A US actress of Iranian origins has used her outfit to deliver a powerful message to US President Donald Trump and his Muslim travel ban.

Kathreen Khavari showed up to the premiere of her upcoming HBO miniseries "Big Little Lies" this week, wearing a dress with decorated with strong words directed at Trump.

"My Iranian immigrant mother teaches your kids how to read," read the white letters on the simple black dress.

Khavari posted an image on Instagram of herself at the premiere.

"Last night's red carpet look brought to you by the threat of a fascist America," the photo's caption read.

Khavari, who is a dual US-Iranian citizen, told The Daily Mail that she had intended to wear the outfit since Trump's inauguration last month in protest of his "dangerous policies".

"Initially my mum was frightened about me wearing [the dress] to such an event… but I had to do it. We can't allow ourselves to be scared into silence. Later when she saw the whole dress she was really touched," she said.

Trump issued a decree last month that denied entry to all refugees for 120 days, and travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely.

Trump's ban was then suspended after two US states sought to have it overturned on grounds of religious discrimination and because it had caused "irreparable injury."

The divisive US leader has said he might give his ban a second try, either as a revision or as a new order, as he contends with an appeals court ruling that prevents the ban from being enforced.

The war-of-words between Tehran and Washington have recently escalated as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Trump have traded threats and warnings.

Trump's new hostile approach to Iran and Tehran's provocative response through further missile testing are both worrying steps that may escalate into a military conflict, a senior Arab official told The New Arab, warning that a war may be looming on the horizon.