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Award-winning director Jafar Panahi was refused permission to leave Iran on Tuesday 16^th February 2009.   He was due to attend the Berlin Film Festival as an honorary guest to participate in a panel discussion on Iranian cinema with fellow Iranian directors Rafi Pitts and Reza Haeri the following day.

The festival’s director Dieter Kosslick said in a statement, ‘We are surprised and deeply regret that a director who has won so many international prizes has been denied the possibility to take part in our anniversary festival and to speak about his cinematic visions.’

Panahi had a history of problems with the regime of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.   Iranian news agencies reported that the director had claimed he was prevented from leaving the country for France in October 2009 when his passport was confiscated at the airport.   On 30^th July he and members of his family were arrested at a protest in memory of demonstrators killed after Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in June.

 [ADD]