Swedish works banned in Iranian festivals over Qur’an burning
The head of the Cinema Organization of Iran (COI) announced in response to the desecration of the Holy Qur’an in Sweden that, henceforth, Swedish film productions will not be accepted in various Iranian festivals.
Mohammad Khazaei pointed out that Islamophobia and offensive behaviors towards the beliefs of Muslims are suspicious actions by some Western communities, Mehr news agency reported.
He added that certain communities in the West are always attempting to conceal their colonial attitudes behind the mask of “freedom of expression” by belittling, undermining, and provoking antagonism towards the values of other religions, especially Islam.
He emphasized that the ugly phenomenon of Islamophobia and Western hostility towards Islam has once again surfaced, regretfully noting that instead of engaging in dialogue for better understanding and sharing religious commonalities, the West has always resorted to destructive, threatening, isolating, antagonizing actions, and promoting religious hatred. This flawed approach has led to the unfortunate reaction of honorable and freedom-seeking Muslims worldwide.
The head of COI also highlighted “the presence of global Zionism’s manipulative hands in such incidents, stating that such actions and behavior cannot be assessed as isolated acts of global Zionism but should be considered as part of the premeditated puzzle designed by Zionists to incite religious wars.”
Khazaei denounced Sweden’s hostile and illogical approach, which disregards diplomacy and international law. He stated that while condemning such behaviors, the COI will abstain from accepting products from Sweden in various Iranian festivals until the Swedish government changes its approach.
He stressed that this decision is the quickest response to demonstrate solidarity with the global community against such desecrations. Our priority is undoubtedly focused on producing cultural works and elucidating the rational aspects of religion, taking into account the rich Islamic heritage and the teachings of the Prophet’s Household (Ahl al-Bayt) to engage in discussions and dialogues with religions, even with those who show disrespect. This response will be conveyed through the production of content in all realms of cinema, including feature films, shorts, documentaries, and animations.
Khazaei concluded that the desecration of the Holy Qur’an is not a mere political event, but rather an insult to every Muslim worldwide. It is imperative that the artistic and cinematic community of Iran and the world react strongly against such an act.