Latest news with #StateTV
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
Iran summons French diplomat over praise of Palme d'Or-winning film
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iran has summoned France's representative in protest after the French foreign minister praised a prize-winning Iranian film as 'a gesture of resistance against the Iranian regime's oppression.' Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had praised 'It Was Just an Accident' after it won the prestigious Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival. The Iranian film centers on a man who abducts his suspected captor after being tortured in prison. Iran's Foreign Ministry said the French charge d'affaires was summoned over the minister's 'interventionist, irresponsible and instigative allegations,' the state-run IRNA news agency reported. 'Spare us Iranians the lectures. You have no moral authority whatsoever,' Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on 'X,' citing France's approach to Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. France last week threatened 'concrete action' against Israel if the country didn't halt the offensive in Gaza and lift restrictions on humanitarian aid, but the statement was mostly dismissed as empty threats. Immediately following the award's announcement, the Iranian state news agency had announced a more muted celebration of the award, crediting the country's film industry for winning a second Palme d'Or after Abbas Kiarostami's 1997 drama, 'Taste of Cherry." In Iran, film productions need to receive script approval from the government to shoot in public. Dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi refuses to do that, knowing they won't allow him to make the films he wants to, and 'It Was Just an Accident' was filmed without cooperation. Iranian state TV called the film a mixture of 'lie and smearing' as well as an 'underground' film produced without required permits in Iran. State TV also chastised Panahi for not mentioning the plight of the Palestinians in his acceptance speech. The film follows a man named Vahid, played by Vahid Mobasser, who believes he sees his former captor, who tortured him in prison and ruined his life. He abducts him, takes him to the desert and begins to bury him in the ground. But to satisfy pangs of doubt, Vahid decides to confirm his suspicion by bringing the man, locked in his van, to other former prisoners for identification. In a strange and emotional journey, they are all forced to grapple with revenge and forgiveness. Panahi drew on the experiences from his own imprisonment as well as the stories of detainees around him. Other state media were more critical of the win. The Mizan news agency, an arm of the country's judiciary, reported on the win as part of the 'Political Cannes Film Festival,' suggesting that the prize was given to Panahi because of his political leanings. Pro-reform media outlets and activists praised Panahi. 'This victory is no accident — it is the result of a tireless dedication to exploring humanistic values and human rights,' said Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who was also previously imprisoned at Tehran's notorious Evin Prison. Inmates at the prison include those with Western ties and political prisoners. Panahi, one of the leading international directors, was banned from traveling out of Iran in 2009 for attending the funeral of a student killed in anti-government protests, a judgment later extended to two decades. But even when placed under house arrest, Panahi kept making movies, many of which are among the most lauded of the century. He made 2011's 'This Is Not a Film' on an iPhone in his living room. 'Taxi' (2015) was clandestinely shot almost entirely within a car. Panahi was arrested in 2022 when he went to the Tehran prosecutor's office to inquire about the arrests of two other Iranian filmmakers. A judge later ruled that he must serve six years for an earlier sentence on charges of propagandizing against the government from 2011 that had never been enforced. In early 2023, Panahi went on a hunger strike and was released from Evin Prison. Panahi said he would not seek asylum in another country, despite the risks of additional imprisonment. 'It's simple. I'm unable to live here,' he said last week from the Cannes festival. 'I have no ability to adapt to a new country, a new culture. Some people have this ability, this strength. I don't.' On Monday, Panahi landed in Tehran to cheers and applause from fans.
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Iran summons French diplomat over praise of Palme d'Or-winning film
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran has summoned France's representative in protest after the French foreign minister praised a prize-winning Iranian film as 'a gesture of resistance against the Iranian regime's oppression.' Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had praised 'It Was Just an Accident' after it won the prestigious Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival. The Iranian film centers on a man who abducts his suspected captor after being tortured in prison. Iran's Foreign Ministry said the French charge d'affaires was summoned over the minister's 'interventionist, irresponsible and instigative allegations,' the state-run IRNA news agency reported. 'Spare us Iranians the lectures. You have no moral authority whatsoever,' Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on 'X,' citing France's approach to Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. France last week threatened 'concrete action' against Israel if the country didn't halt the offensive in Gaza and lift restrictions on humanitarian aid, but the statement was mostly dismissed as empty threats. Immediately following the award's announcement, the Iranian state news agency had announced a more muted celebration of the award, crediting the country's film industry for winning a second Palme d'Or after Abbas Kiarostami's 1997 drama, 'Taste of Cherry." In Iran, film productions need to receive script approval from the government to shoot in public. Dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi refuses to do that, knowing they won't allow him to make the films he wants to, and 'It Was Just an Accident' was filmed without cooperation. Iranian state TV called the film a mixture of 'lie and smearing' as well as an 'underground' film produced without required permits in Iran. State TV also chastised Panahi for not mentioning the plight of the Palestinians in his acceptance speech. The film follows a man named Vahid, played by Vahid Mobasser, who believes he sees his former captor, who tortured him in prison and ruined his life. He abducts him, takes him to the desert and begins to bury him in the ground. But to satisfy pangs of doubt, Vahid decides to confirm his suspicion by bringing the man, locked in his van, to other former prisoners for identification. In a strange and emotional journey, they are all forced to grapple with revenge and forgiveness. Panahi drew on the experiences from his own imprisonment as well as the stories of detainees around him. Other state media were more critical of the win. The Mizan news agency, an arm of the country's judiciary, reported on the win as part of the 'Political Cannes Film Festival,' suggesting that the prize was given to Panahi because of his political leanings. Pro-reform media outlets and activists praised Panahi. 'This victory is no accident — it is the result of a tireless dedication to exploring humanistic values and human rights,' said Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who was also previously imprisoned at Tehran's notorious Evin Prison. Inmates at the prison include those with Western ties and political prisoners. Panahi, one of the leading international directors, was banned from traveling out of Iran in 2009 for attending the funeral of a student killed in anti-government protests, a judgment later extended to two decades. But even when placed under house arrest, Panahi kept making movies, many of which are among the most lauded of the century. He made 2011's 'This Is Not a Film' on an iPhone in his living room. 'Taxi' was clandestinely shot almost entirely within a car. Panahi was arrested in 2022 when he went to the Tehran prosecutor's office to inquire about the arrests of two other Iranian filmmakers. A judge later ruled that he must serve six years for an earlier sentence on charges of propagandizing against the government from 2011 that had never been enforced. In early 2023, Panahi went on a hunger strike and was released from Evin Prison. Panahi said he would not seek asylum in another country, despite the risks of additional imprisonment. 'It's simple. I'm unable to live here,' he said last week from the Cannes festival. 'I have no ability to adapt to a new country, a new culture. Some people have this ability, this strength. I don't.' On Monday, Panahi landed in Tehran to cheers and applause from fans. — Associated Press Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Jake Coyle in Cannes, France, contributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Putin visits Kursk region for first time since booting Ukrainian forces from territory
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the western Kursk region on Tuesday, the first time he stopped by since Russian forces ejected Ukrainian troops from the area last month. During the visit, Putin met with volunteer organizations in the region and went to the Kursk-II nuclear power plant, according to the Kremlin. State TV showed the Russian president, accompanied by Kremlin first deputy chief of staff Sergei Kiriyenko, meeting volunteers and local officials in the region, including acting Gov. Alexander Khinshtein. Us Awaits Ceasefire Proposal After Trump Phone Call, Rubio Says Russia said late last month that it had ejected Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region, putting an end to the biggest incursion into Russian territory since World War II. On Aug. 6, Ukraine carried out its boldest attack, pushing through the Russian border into the Kursk region, supported by swarms of drones and heavy Western weaponry. Read On The Fox News App Ukrainian forces have claimed as much as about 540 square miles of Kursk. President Trump Confident Putin Wants Peace With Ukraine, Thinks He's 'Had Enough' Of War This comes after Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Turkey last week for their first direct peace talks in years, but the two sides failed to reach a ceasefire agreement. The negotiations were the first face-to-face talks between the two countries since the early weeks of the war that began with a February 2022 invasion by Moscow. Reuters contributed to this article source: Putin visits Kursk region for first time since booting Ukrainian forces from territory
CNN
06-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Video shows inside Putin's Kremlin apartment
In a documentary that aired on Russian State TV channel Russia 1, President Vladimir Putin gave a rare look inside his Kremlin residence and talks about what will come after he leaves office. The interview was filmed in March earlier this year. CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports.
Muscat Daily
27-04-2025
- General
- Muscat Daily
Iran port blast: Rising death toll, number of casualties
Tehran, Iran – The number of people killed in the explosion that rocked a major port in southern Iran has risen to 25 as of Sunday, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA. More than 700 people were injured in the blast, according to the report, and firefighters were still at the scene to extinguish the fire, but were nearly done with 80% as of Sunday, state TV quoted Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni as saying. The port, located in Hormozgan province more than 1,000km (620 miles) south of the capital, Tehran, is Iran's largest commercial port. Local media have reported that the port handles around half of Iran's total trade and around 85-90% of all container traffic. State TV added that the port had resumed some operations. What happened at the port? Saturday's explosion was so powerful that people heard and felt it up to 50km (30 miles) away, the state-run Fars news agency reported. According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the shock wave from the explosion caused severe damage to most buildings at the port. State TV said hundreds of casualties had been taken to 'nearby medical centres'. It also reported that schools and offices in the nearby provincial capital of Bandar Abbas had been ordered to remain closed on Sunday amid high levels of air pollution from chemicals such as ammonia, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. The Health Ministry has urged residents to avoid going outside 'until further notice' and to use protective masks. Saturday is the start of the working week in Iran, which means the port was likely filled with workers when the blast occurred. Cause of the explosion Although authorities have not announced any cause of the explosion, various initial reports point to the possible involvement of inflammable chemicals stored at the port. State TV carried a statement by the port's customs office saying that the blast may have been ignited by a fire in the hazardous and chemical materials storage depot. The New York Times quoted a source with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying sodium perchlorate – a key ingredient in solid fuel for missiles – could have been what blew up. The Associated Press news agency reported that the blast may have occurred because the chemical may have been improperly stored. There is no other confirmation about the kind of chemical that may have set off the blast. 'No military cargo at site' Iran's Defence Ministry said on Sunday there was no military cargo at the site. A ministry spokesman described reports that missile fuel had been imported through the port as 'baseless'. The blast took place on Saturday, when Iranian and US delegations were meeting in Oman for a third round of high-level talks on Tehran's nuclear programme and with both sides having reported progress. DW
