The Iranian Independent Film Producers Association (IIFMA) supports continued attacks in Iran by the United States and Israel that caused the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and prompted the possibility of dramatic political change.
“Following the state uprising and tragic massacre in January 2025, Iran’s Islamic regime has no choice but to seek urgent humanitarian intervention from the international community for its defenseless population,” the group, which represents hundreds of members of Iran’s dissident film community, said in a statement.
More than 40,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) during the January 8-9 crackdown on nationwide anti-government protests.
“In this context, the Iranian Independent Film Producers Association (IIFMA) calls on the international community to defend Iran’s sovereignty and prioritize the protection of its tens of millions of citizens held hostage by the Islamic regime,” the statement added.
“We advocate targeted action against government officials and repressive agents while avoiding harm to innocent civilians.” “It is imperative that we end this archaic cycle of patriarchal violence.”
Top Iranian writers such as Jafar Panahi, Asghar Farhadi, and Mohamed Rasoulof have not yet expressed their opinion on the official statement regarding the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran. According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency and other sources, in addition to Hamanei, Iran’s army chief of staff and defense minister were also killed in the airstrike.
In retaliation for the airstrikes, Iran launched missiles and drones targeting Israeli and U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
The impact of the attack on Iranian civilians was not immediately clear. The Washington-based Iranian human rights organization HRANA said late Saturday that at least 133 civilians had been killed and 200 injured, but the figures could not be independently confirmed. Iranian state media reported that dozens of children were killed at a girls’ elementary school near the naval base. The U.S. and Israeli militaries did not immediately comment.
Meanwhile, a massive explosion was reported in Iran’s capital Tehran on Sunday, and there were reportedly fireworks and street dancing on Saturday to celebrate the death of the supreme leader, as well as protests by Khamenei’s supporters.
Regime change in Iran is seen as a complex issue due to the regime’s deep roots in the country, despite widespread opposition. Political vacuums can develop in unexpected ways.
