TEHRAN - Officials of the Turkish culture ministry have announced a ban on three Turkish films with political themes which were scheduled to be screened in the competition section of the Istanbul International Film Festival.

Festival officials announced that they would wait until the last days of the festival to receive the final judgment and a proper answer to the complaints of the directors.

According to a Turkish news agency, this is the first time that films are being censored at the festival.

Films participating in international festivals are usually not censored.

The 21st Istanbul International Film Festival began in Istanbul on Saturday. Famous directors and actors from Turkey and other countries attended the opening ceremony.

The Istanbul International Film Festival is the most prestigious film festival in Turkey.

According to the secretariat of the festival, some 183 films from 30 countries are being screened.

The Iranian film ****The Unfinished Song" directed by Maziar Miri will be screened in the competition section of the festival, which has been entitled the Golden Tulip Prize Section.

The Iranian films ****Secret Ballot**** directed by Babak Payami, ****Delbaran**** directed by Abolfazl Jalili, ***A.B.C. Africa***** directed by Abbas Kiarostami, and ****Peace Shrapnel***** directed by Ali Shah Hatami will be screened in the international section. The festival ends on April 28.