Iran praises Oscar-winning director for anti-trump stance

THE IRANIAN government praised the makers of Oscarwinning movie “The Salesman” on Monday for boycotting the Hollywood awards ceremony in protest against US President Donald Trump’s travel ban on Iranians and people from six other countries.

“Proud of cast and crew of The Salesman for Oscar and stance against Muslim Ban,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted. “Iranians have represented culture and civilization for millennia.”

It was the second Oscar for director Asghar Farhadi, five years after he won for “A Separation”.

Although U.S. courts suspended Trump’s ban on people entering the United States from seven majority Muslim nations, Farhadi said he would not attend the Oscars, to make a political point against what he called the “oppressive travel ban”.