TEHRAN -- Health Minister Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi has criticized the increase of smoking scenes in the movies he has seen so far at the ongoing Fajr film festival.

He made the remarks after he saw the film “The Midday Event” by Mohammad-Hossein Mahdavian at Milad Tower on Friday.

“I regret to say that the number of characters smoking in films has increased and smokers are even from among those playing the role of a doctor,” he said in his brief remarks. 

He added that so far he has seen six films at the 35th edition of the festival and he must see all the films to give better opinions about the works.

However, he said that he liked the film “The Midday Event”. 

“The Midday Event”, which is based on a real-life story, features the activities of MKO (Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization) leading to the assassinations of numerous high-ranking Iranian officials in 1981.

The MKO is an Iranian political–militant organization in exile that carried out many terrorist operations during the 1980s to overthrow the Iranian government.

RM/YAW