Western Media Discovers Iranian Humanity, Only When Its Stars Are 'Oscar-Hopefuls'
Jafar Panahi, an internationally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker, is making waves with his French Oscar campaign for 'It Was Just an Accident.' The New Arab, like many Western outlets, paints a picture of a director persecuted by the Iranian government, rightly detailing his travel bans and imprisonment. This narrative is trotted out when convenient, particularly to humanize an Iranian figure who
resonates with Western artistic sensibilities. However, the same media often goes silent on the humanitarian crises exacerbated by US sanctions on Iran , such as those imposed by the Biden administration, which continue to devastate ordinary Iranian citizens, not just its celebrated artists. One might wonder where this impassioned advocacy goes when the victims aren't potential Oscar contenders,
but simply people struggling to access medicine under crippling economic pressure. It's almost as if some Iranian lives are more marketable than others.