TEHRAN – Director of the Cinema Organization of Iran, , has written an open letter to Western statesmen condemning the cultural sanctions placed upon Iran.

In his open letter, Khazaei directs his criticism towards Western governments for imposing sanctions on Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and his deputy. 

The letter argues that these sanctions are a product of the Western ruling system's frustration with Iran's cultural sector.

The following is part of the mentioned letter:

Neocolonialism goes beyond exerting physical dominance and encompasses the imposition of intellectual and cultural control, ultimately institutionalizing authority for the perpetuation of power.

In an attempt to undermine and distort Iran's pure Islamic ideology, prominent individuals and influential media outlets have been ostracized and blacklisted by the UK and the U.S.

It is clear that colonizers have now initiated war against Iranian and Islamic intellectuals and thinkers. Liberal and humanist ideology will not tolerate the growth and blooming of religious and divine ideology. 

Governments resorting to the implementation of sanctions as a means of exerting influence demonstrate their irrationality and lack of strength. The era of a unipolar world has come to an end. Cultural and artistic individuals should never fall victim to sanctions. Such actions are an indication of the last desperate moves of a decaying civilization. 

Anti-cultural measures, such as the imposition of sanctions, reveal how the West has turned its attention towards cultural and artistic sectors following multiple failures.

However, it is only a matter of time before the achievements of the Persian-Islamic civilization, characterized by revolutionary discourse, new horizons, and innovative literature, become universally recognized and embraced worldwide.

SAB/