Khamenei regime will not be able to keep control of Iran, says film-maker

Director Jafar Panahi told the Guardian he believes the Khamenei government cannot sustain control after recent protests and crackdowns; he was sentenced in absentia to one year in December and is promoting his new film in the US.

Jafar Panahi, the Iranian film-maker now in the US, said the Khamenei government cannot maintain control after the latest wave of protests. He spoke to the Guardian while promoting his film It Was Just an Accident, which won the Palme d'Or. The protests began in late December amid economic difficulties and have been met with security force crackdowns reported as deadly. Panahi said the timing of any political change is uncertain but predicted the regime would not endure. Reported key points: - Panahi told the Guardian he believes the regime cannot sustain itself after recent suppressions. - Authorities imposed a near‑countrywide internet blackout during the unrest; Panahi described it as a sign of escalating violence. - In December Panahi was sentenced in absentia to one year in prison on charges of creating propaganda against the political system. - Panahi is in the US promoting his Palme d'Or–winning film, which is also being discussed for awards consideration. Summary: Panahi's comments underline that a prominent cultural figure publicly questions the regime's durability and warns that the current cycle of repression risks further escalation. Undetermined at this time.