PHOTO: AFP

Asghar Farhadi, the Oscar-winning Iranian filmmaker, on Friday (May 15) denounced both the deaths of civilians caused by US and Israeli strikes on Iran and the Islamic republic’s violent crackdown on protesters.

Farhadi, who arrived from Tehran last week, responded cautiously when questioned about the situation in his conflict-ridden homeland during the Cannes Film Festival, where his latest French-language film, Parallel Tales , premiered.

Referring to what he described as two “tragic events” this year, Farhadi spoke about the deaths of many innocent people, including children and civilians, during the attacks in Iran.

He also pointed to the killing of demonstrators who had taken to the streets in protest before the conflict began. “There is no justification for killing people, whether through war, executions, or the slaughter of protesters,” he said.