TEHRAN – The Fajr Film Festival, Iran’s major film event, announced on Sunday that Instagram has suspended the festival’s account over posts expressing sympathy for the martyrdom of Quds Force commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani by a U.S. air raid in Baghdad.

Instagram accounts of several Iranian celebrities and ordinary people were also suspended for the same reason. 

In posts published on other social networks, the celebrities and cultural organizations have said that Instagram’s decision to suspend the accounts has violated their basic right to freedom of expression.

Earlier last year, Instagram suspended the accounts of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the former Chief of the IRGC Major General Mohammad-Ali Jafari and the IRGC Ground Force Commander Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpur. 

Photo: An image depicting Fajr Film Festival’s Instagram after suspension.

ABU/MMS/YAW