Majid Majidi calls US sanctions humanity crime

Iranian mega-director Majid Majidi has slammed US sanctions against Iran, describing the act as a crime against humanity.

Majidi made the remarks on Saturday in his Masterclass for directors and students held on the sidelines of the Hainan Island International Film Festival in China.

He added, "The Iranian people have been in a difficult situation over the past 40 years due to the oppressive US sanctions."

“The Iranian nation wants to stand on its feet and keep its independence,” the director cited the reason for the US sanction against Iran.

The Oscar-nominated director said that for many years before the Islamic Revolution, Iran's national resources such as oil and gas were in the hands of the US, adding, "Now that the Iranian nation is standing on its feet after 40 years, and the United States cannot accept it."

Majidi continued, "Even now with this pandemic, the United States does not allow the imports of medicines needed for the Iranian patients. One reason for the high rate of death tolls for Covid-19 in Iran is the US sanctions and lack of medicine."

Noting that the medicines are blocked before getting to Iranian patents due to the US sanctions, the director of ‘Sun Children’ added, "This is a crime against humanity and no other name can be given to these sanctions."

He also thanked the Chinese government and people for their support of the Iranian people in the pandemic.

Hainan Island International Film Festival kicked off in late December with 4,376 films from 114 countries featured in the event.

Majid Majidi served as a judge at the 2020 fest that wrapped on December 12.

The director won an Oscar nom for his film ‘Children of Heaven’ in 1998. More than twenty years later, his flick ‘Sun Children’ will represent Iranian cinema for the 2021 Oscar race.

AG/AG