Oscar-Winning Iranian Filmmakers Issue Desperate Plea for US Military Intervention
In an extraordinary and deeply emotional appeal, Academy Award-winning Iranian filmmakers Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani have publicly called for immediate military action by the United States against their own country's government. The directors, who won the 2025 Oscar for Best Animated Short Film with 'In the Shadow of the Cypress', describe a situation of "total desperation" that has led them to invite foreign intervention.
A Nation Pushed to the Brink
The filmmakers detail how nearly five decades of Islamic Republic rule have transformed Iran from a potentially prosperous nation into a scene of ongoing tragedy. They accuse the regime of squandering hundreds of billions of dollars of national wealth on nuclear ambitions and regional proxy forces without public consent, while ordinary Iranians suffer extreme poverty.
"Despite vast natural resources and a young, educated population, the monthly income of many families has fallen to $100-150," they write. "Unemployment is widespread, and runaway inflation has deprived millions of the most basic necessities, including food and shelter."
Brutal Crackdown on Survival Protests
When Iranians took to the streets demanding not just freedom of expression but the fundamental right to survive, the government responded with what the filmmakers describe as unprecedented brutality. They report thousands killed or permanently disabled by live ammunition, with many more facing imminent execution.
Most alarmingly, credible reports suggest the possible use of chemical weapons against civilians. Nationwide internet shutdowns have prevented much of this catastrophe from reaching international attention, creating what they term an information blackout around human rights violations.
The Case for Targeted Military Action
While acknowledging that no nation welcomes foreign attack, Molayemi and Sohani argue that Iranians have no effective means of self-defence against a regime they describe as having "no moral or ethical restraints." They invoke the international "responsibility to protect" principle as justification for military intervention.
The filmmakers emphasize they are not calling for occupation but rather "targeted operations with surgical precision" aimed at removing regime leaders, disrupting financial resources and command networks, and enabling Iranians to reclaim their future.
Transitional Leadership and International Silence
Addressing concerns about potential instability, the directors express support for Prince Reza Pahlavi as transitional leader, arguing this would prevent power vacuums and civil war while keeping extremist groups from exploiting the situation. They note his pledge to hold a referendum on Iran's future political system.
The filmmakers particularly criticize certain pro-Palestinian activists and left-wing groups for remaining silent about Iran's crisis, suggesting this stems from discomfort with Pahlavi's association with the uprising and fears of restored monarchy. They argue the Islamic Republic's support for Palestine is largely tactical rather than genuine concern for Palestinian lives.
A Moral Imperative for Action
As Academy Award-winning artists, Molayemi and Sohani state they cannot witness these crimes and remain silent. "Our silence today would be judged as complicity tomorrow," they warn, urging world leaders including the US president to fulfil their moral responsibility.
They conclude with a vision of a free Iran becoming "a reliable partner and a source of regional and global stability" that would benefit all nations. The appeal closes with verses from 13th-century Persian poet Saadi of Shiraz, emphasizing shared human responsibility and the interconnectedness of suffering.
