TEHRAN – Asghar Farhadi’s publicist, Samin Mohajerani, has said that Farhadi will announce over the next few days whether or not he will attend the Oscars ceremony due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed ban on visas to citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran.

In a statement published on Saturday, she said, “Although Mr. Farhadi faces no ban to enter the U.S., he will announce in the next few days whether or not he will attend the Oscars ceremony.”

The statement was issued in response to some rumors that Farhadi plans to boycott the Oscars ceremony over Trump’s executive order to suspend immigration for at least 30 days for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. 

Farhadi’s latest drama “The Salesman” is among the five movies nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign-language film category at the 89th Academy Awards.

According to the Variety, an Academy spokesperson issued a statement Saturday in response to reports that Farhadi would be barred from entering the U.S. for the awards under President Donald Trump’s recently enacted travel ban.

“The Academy celebrates achievement in the art of filmmaking, which seeks to transcend borders and speak to audiences around the world, regardless of national, ethnic, or religious differences,” the statement said. “As supporters of filmmakers — and the human rights of all people — around the globe, we find it extremely troubling that Asghar Farhadi, the director of the Oscar-winning film from Iran ‘A Separation’, along with the cast and crew of this year’s Oscar-nominated film ‘The Salesman’, could be barred from entering the country because of their religion or country of origin.”

Earlier last Thursday, “The Salesman” star, Taraneh Aldoosti, said that she would boycott the Oscars ceremony in protest of Trump’s proposed ban on visas.        

“Trump’s visa ban for Iranians is racist,” Alidoosti wrote on her Twitter. “Whether this will include a cultural event or not, I won’t attend the Academy Awards 2017 in protest.”

In an email interview with the New York Times, she also said, “I decided I would not to go even if I could, because it hurts me deeply to see ordinary people of my country being rejected for what should be their legal right to have access to their children abroad or to their school classes as students.” 

Photo: Iranian director Asghar Farhadi poses with his Oscar for Best Foreign Language film that he received for “A Separation” during the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California February 26, 2012. (Reuters)

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