Wave of criticism continues over offensive remarks on Iranian state television

After a "fundamentalist" university professor insulted Rakhshan Bani-Etemad on state television, a wave of criticism from cinema professionals' associations and fans of the seventh art spread. Two government officials also took a stand.

On Tuesday, January 14, the Cinema House, the Iranian Cinema Documentary Association, the Directors' Association, and a significant number of cultural and art professionals and cinema fans reacted to the insulting statements made by Mohammad Sadegh Koushki, a university professor, writer, and "fundamentalist" researcher, to Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, one of the prominent Iranian screenwriters and directors.

In a televised meeting that is currently circulating rapidly on Persian-language social media, Koushki tells the Iranian director that he should not have called him up. Without linking the call to the Iranian border guards, he says that the IRGC border guards are dying so that “the likes of Abdolmalek Rigi” do not reach Rakhshan Bani-Etemad and his daughter Baran Kowsari and her “people and business,” and adds: “Maybe you would have liked it, maybe you would have loved it!”

Bani Etemad had previously called on Instagram to express sympathy for the families of the victims of the Ukrainian plane crash and called on people to gather in Azadi Square to “end the war mongering.” The gathering did not take place, as the Iranian director withdrew his call due to warnings from security agencies and “to protect the security and lives of the people.”

Insult for “defending values”

A statement issued by the Cinema House states that the Islamic Republic Radio and Television has a long history of "stepping outside the boundaries of morality and humanity" and does so "under the pretext of defending values."

According to the organizers of this Iranian cinema center, the "recent and shameless insult by the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation" to Bani-Etemad is a "deliberate" move to "create division and destroy artists."

While expressing regret for “the management of the organization that apparently has no intelligent oversight over the content of its media productions,” the Cinema House has promised that “in line with the civil and rights-seeking demands” of the people, “it will not turn a blind eye to such insults and actions by the national media.”

The Cinema House has further suggested that filmmakers refrain from appearing on "so-called cinematic and analytical" programs on state television.

“The sweat of shame on the foreheads of people in black”

The Iranian Cinema Documentary Filmmakers Association has written an open letter to Abdolali Ali Asgari, head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, in response to Mohammad Sadeq Koushki's insulting remarks.

The letter calls the statements of the political expert and fundamentalist university professor "shameless," an "insult" that "brings the sweat of shame on the foreheads of the black-clad people" of Iran.

The Iranian Directors Association has also pointed to the desecration of "the greats and capitals of Iranian cinema," Rakhshan Bani-Etemad and Masoud Kimiai, and wrote, "It will not remain silent in the face of the destruction of filmmakers."

Massoud Kimiai was also insulted on a television program because he is determined not to participate in the Fajr Festival due to the large number of people killed in the plane crash.

The Iranian Directors Association also called on all cinema directors to officially apologize to the Iranian Broadcasting Organization and not participate in any television programs as guests or experts.

Hossein Entezami, head of the Iranian Cinema Organization, also reacted, writing on Twitter: "They give live broadcasts to those who do not respect the moral norms of society and recklessly insult the country's honor and artists?! Shouldn't the host react?"

Official reactions

Alireza Moezzi, the deputy head of communications and information at the presidential office, also responded in a tweet to the remarks of Koushki and a TV presenter named Zeinab Aboutalebi, who had also called on those dissatisfied with the policies of the Islamic Republic to leave Iran.

Moezzi criticized the two people for "freely using the national media to criticize citizens."

Hesameddin Ashena, the president's representative on the Supervisory Council of the Iranian Broadcasting Organization, also wrote in a letter addressed to Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the head of the council, that the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting behaves in a "political and partisan" manner and is not a national media outlet.

He said that he had warned "many times" about the "unprofessional, politicized, and biased analysis of some broadcasters."

Ashna further noted that Iranians are “in shock” over the downing of the passenger plane and that “the perception of concealment and lying has been formed in public opinion.” He advised that in these circumstances, state television should not “add to the complexity of the situation with ill-considered and insulting remarks” and “deepen the existing rifts.”

After the downing of the passenger plane, Hesameddin Ashena warned “Iranian-origin agents in the Persian-language media” who had been scrutinizing the ambiguities surrounding the initial official narrative of the downing of the plane to “refrain from participating in psychological warfare related to” the downing of the plane and “cooperating with anti-Iranians.”

"Field Hole" Statements

Nasser Fakuhi, a professor at the University of Tehran, also reacted to Kushki's verbal attack on Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, writing that the Islamist researcher's insult to the prominent director of Iranian cinema, even if it had been expressed by people who "have also fallen into lumpenism and hooliganism" and in the "hole of the former square," would still have been regrettable.

Fakuhi asks: "How can we accept that the country's official platforms are at the disposal of such people who make these ridiculous statements about the women and girls of this country? Is this a defense of values ​​or an insult and violation of everything that we have had in our history of several thousand years as honor, value, respect, politeness, and Islamic, Iranian, and traditional morality?"

Source: DW