Tehran Police Summons Those Responsible for 'Terror' at Kourosh Cinema Complex

As protests increased against the appearance of actors portraying ISIS fighters in a film at the Kourosh Cinema Complex, the commander of Tehran police announced the summoning of individuals he referred to as 'agents of terror and fear' for the public in this venue. This summoning comes after individuals dressed as ISIS members, riding horses and wielding weapons, first appeared outside the Kourosh Cinema Complex in Tehran on the evening of May 7 and then entered the complex. It was later announced that the promotional team for the film 'Time for Damascus' by Ebrahim Hatamikia had pre-planned this event during the unveiling of the film's music album, and according to Hatamikia, they were not supposed to enter the complex. The presence of these actors in such attire, shouting angrily, frightened some attendees, although reports indicated that some laughed at them and even took selfies. Criticism of this promotional event escalated to the point that Ebrahim Hatamikia apologized, stating, 'I imagined that someone with a red beard would stand outside the Kourosh complex for people to take pictures with. I had no idea there would be horses, a crowd, or shouting inside the complex.' He asked the merchants and people present at the complex to 'forgive us.' However, Hossein Rahimi, the commander of Greater Tehran Police, described the incident at the Kourosh complex as 'an unlawful act' that 'was carried out without coordination with the police.' Rahimi added that the 'offending' individuals involved in this act have been identified and summoned to the police. The promotional method for 'Time for Damascus' also sparked significant reactions on Persian-language social media. Some Hezbollah supporters dismissed the criticisms by providing examples of similar foreign film promotions. Nevertheless, many users criticized this action for instilling fear in the public, especially children present at the venue, and used this incident to criticize the presence of plainclothes forces and their interactions with the public in public spaces. The producer of the film 'Time for Damascus' is the 'Owj' cinema organization, which is financially supported by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The film tells the story of two Iranian pilots who aim to rescue people from ISIS siege but end up captured after their plane crashes. Due to violent scenes related to ISIS actions, the film has been restricted to viewers aged under 12 and has grossed 12 billion tomans since its release during the Nowruz holiday in 2018. Hatamikia himself stated that 'Time for Damascus' is a tribute to the 'Defenders of the Shrine,' referring to the forces sent by the Islamic Republic to support Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war.