TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, has condemned U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran's cultural and historical sites, noting that even the home of the late acclaimed Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami did not escape the bombings.

Kiarostami, who passed away in 2016, was a globally revered filmmaker, screenwriter, poet, photographer, and producer. He gained international recognition for his humanist storytelling. His 1997 film Taste of Cherry won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

“Was Kiarostami’s home part of the so-called ‘imminent threat’ to the United States?!” Baghaei asked in a post on X.

He characterized the ongoing campaign as an “American-Israeli war of whims,” emphasizing that it is not merely a war against a state but an assault on a deep-rooted "culture, civilization, and identity." Baghaei added that Iran, drawing strength from those very roots, "will bring its enemies to their knees."