TEHRAN – Renowned Iranian filmmaker Narges Abyar has sent a letter to the Academy Awards, asking the members not to remain silent about the human tragedies caused by the imposed war in Iran.

Abyar, an official member of the Academy Awards, has urged the members to break their silence regarding the killing of children and women and to protest this issue, Mehr reported.

She has also called for the attention of the global art community to what she called “human tragedies resulting from military attacks on Iran”.

Referring to the start of attacks over a month ago, on February 28, Abyar emphasized in the letter that the military actions of the U.S. and Israel against Iran have led to the deaths of thousands of people, predominantly civilians, including women and children.

She also referred to reports from organizations such as the World Health Organization and international news sources, reporting incidents like an attack on an elementary school in the city of Minab, which resulted in the deaths of over 180 children aged 7 to 12.

The Iranian director further stated that the aggressors' objective in the recent attacks was the “claim of preventing Iran’s nuclear program. However, besides some military targets, the U.S. and Israel have launched organized attacks against civilian infrastructure, including residential homes, hospitals, universities, refineries, power plants, and government buildings.”

Abyar concluded by asking the members of the Academy Awards not to remain silent in the face of these human tragedies and to react to this issue by utilizing their artistic and media capacities and reflecting it.

She also requested that, if possible, they condemn these actions so that the war that has begun against Iran ends and fewer civilians are targeted.

Abyar has made significant contributions to exploring important issues within Iranian society through her films.

Her 2013 war/drama “Track 143,” adapted from Abyar's own book of the same title, delves into the theme of maternal sacrifice during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, also known as the Sacred Defense. The story revolves around Olfat, a mother anxiously awaiting the return of her son who has gone missing in action.

On February 28, the U.S. and Israel initiated a major, unjustified assault on Iran, resulting in the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and numerous senior officials and commanders, along with many civilians including women and children.

On the first day of the attacks, the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan Province, became the site of a devastating massacre. While dozens of girls and boys aged between 7 and 12 were beginning their lessons, the school was targeted by a missile strike that caused the building to collapse, trapping children and teachers beneath the rubble. Iranian authorities confirmed a final death toll of 185 people, with about 100 others wounded.

The attacks prompted a swift response from the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), with missile and drone launches targeting Israel and several U.S. bases in the region, occurring less than two hours after the strikes, which have been intensified in recent days.

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