Iranian security forces raid dissident filmmaker's residence
Two renowned Iranian filmmakers have condemned authorities for raiding the home of fellow dissident director Ali Ahmadzadeh and seizing his laptop and communication devices.
Two renowned Iranian filmmakers have condemned authorities for raiding the home of fellow dissident director Ali Ahmadzadeh and seizing his laptop and communication devices.
According to Iranian media, Ahmadzadeh’s residence was raided by several armed agents on July 26. There was no immediate announcement by Iranian judiciary on possible charges or why Ahmadzadeh residence was raided.
However, he is known as a dissident filmmaker and a supporter of protests against the Islamic Republic. He is also among the filmmakers who defy hijab regulations in their underground films.
“Fifty people raided the house of a prolific artist, stole his suitcase, laptop and mobile communication devices and held him at gunpoint, ordering him to appear the next day for questioning,” acclaimed director Jafar Panahi wrote on Instagram on Monday.
Panahi shared video footage from the aftermath of the raid, calling it “state terrorism.”
“This illegitimate power of the government allows them to imprison filmmakers or seize their belongings, but creativity cannot be imprisoned or detained. Iranian filmmakers will continue making their movies,” wrote fellow renowned filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof in a separate Instagram post.
The raid occurred while Ahmadzadeh was on location filming his new project. He has faced previous restrictions, and some of his films have struggled to gain approval for release in Iran.
Both Panahi and Rasoulof are internationally acclaimed directors whose works have been featured at major film festivals, including Cannes.
Rasoulof was sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran before fleeing the country in 2024. Panahi also won the Palm d'Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival for his film "It Was Just an Accident".
Panahi has also previously faced restrictions and imprisonment and is still banned from filmmaking but continues to reside in Tehran and makes his films secretly.
Under Iranian law, all films must obtain government permits before production and receive official approval prior to any public screening.
Ahmadzadeh was arrested in Tehran in 2022 on charges of making a movie without permit.
His film “Critical Zone” won the Golden Leopard award at Locarno film festival in Switzerland in 2023. The movie was also screened at the 41st Haifa International Film Festival in Israel, a taboo in Tehran.
Iran continues to be ranked among the world’s worst countries for press freedom.
According to Reporters Without Borders, “Iran has reinforced its position as one of the most repressive countries in terms of press freedom, with journalists and independent media constantly persecuted through arbitrary arrests and harsh sentences handed down after unfair trials before revolutionary courts.”
