No party for Iranian director who won Oscar

Authorities in Tehran cancelled a ceremony due to be held yesterday in honour of an Iranian Oscar-winning director, even though the government had hailed his win as a triumph over a competitor from Israel.

The event for Asghar Farhadi, whose film, A Separation, won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film last month, was abruptly scrapped after authorities denied permission, according to the semi-official Ilna news agency.

There were no details as to why a permit was denied but some Iranian conservatives were upset with its themes of domestic turmoil and gender inequality. AP