Iranian Filmmaker Majid Majidi Calls Iran Symbol of Resistance for Oppressed Peoples
The legendary Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, director of the critically acclaimed film Children of Heaven, has offered a profound perspective on Tehran’s position amidst the severe crisis engulfing the Middle East. Majidi views Iran as having transformed into a global symbol for oppressed and persecuted peoples.
“Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran represents all oppressed and persecuted people in the world, standing against the Israeli regime and resisting the hegemonic policies of the United States government,” Majidi stated in a written statement received in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026.
Majidi characterised the joint operations launched by the US and Israel since 28 February not as a conventional military conflict, but as an existential war between truth and falsehood. The impact, he noted, has now extended to all layers of civil society, where hospitals and schools are no longer safe zones.
Despite operating under extraordinary pressure and violence, Majidi observed that the Iranian people continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience. He described this resistance as evident from the highest levels of leadership to innocent schoolchildren.
In his statement, Majidi issued a special call to intellectuals, writers, and artists worldwide, emphasising that they bear a significant moral responsibility to not remain silent in the face of human oppression.
He contended that major world powers are attempting to reshape the geopolitical map of the Middle East to control resources and expand political influence. However, Majidi expressed confidence that the determination and solidarity of nations seeking independence will be able to withstand such great powers.
“Today is a day of awakening and conscience throughout the world, a day when free people stand against injustice and defend human dignity,” Majidi concluded in his closing statement.
Majidi’s remarks come amidst an increasingly tense Middle Eastern situation, with support for the Iranian people flowing from various international intellectual groups demanding an end to violence and respect for national sovereignty.