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Iranian director Jafar Panahi plans return to Iran despite arrest warrant

07 January 2026 13:07 (UTC +04:00)

Iranian director and screenwriter Jafar Panahi intends to return to Iran despite an arrest warrant awaiting him, APA reports.

The director said this in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Accused of producing anti-government propaganda in his films, Jafar Panahi was banned from leaving Iran for more than ten years. After the ban was lifted, he left Iran in 2023.

After that, the director was sentenced in absentia to prison last year over his latest film, "It Was Just an Accident", which won the Palme d’Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.

It is not ruled out that the director will be detained if he returns to his homeland.

Panahi said he drew inspiration for the production of this film from the period when he was imprisoned in Iran and from the people he met there. The film focuses on violence directed against individuals detained during protests and the consequences of that violence.

It was also noted that Jafar Panahi has expressed his support for the ongoing protest actions in Iran.