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What Film's 'Sex Scene' Led to the Dismissal of the Head of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting?

Jan 25, 2026 January 25, 2026 2 min read 📰 Radio Farda
📋 Key Takeaway

The airing of an uncensored film featuring Jackie Chan on Kish Island's local television resulted in the dismissal of its director, Alireza Najabat. This incident highlights the strict censorship and the repercussions of deviating from state media norms in Iran. It underscores the ongoing tensions between cultural expression and government control in the country.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: The dismissal of a media director for airing an uncensored film illustrates the strict censorship regime in Iran and the risks associated with cultural expression.

👥 Key Players

Alireza Najabat MENTIONED
Director of Kish Island's local television network
"As head of the network, Najabat's decisions directly influence the content broadcasted, reflecting the tensions between cultural expression and state censorship in Iran."
Jackie Chan MENTIONED
Famous Hong Kong actor
"His films are popular in Iran, and the airing of one of his movies highlights the cultural impact of foreign media in a heavily censored environment."

📰 What Happened

The Kish Island local television network aired an uncensored film featuring Jackie Chan, leading to the dismissal of its director, Alireza Najabat, and reprimands for several employees. This incident underscores the strict censorship norms in Iran.

  • The film aired was 'Shinjuku Incident', which includes intimate scenes.
  • Najabat's dismissal reflects the severe repercussions for deviating from state media guidelines.

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: This incident highlights the ongoing struggle between cultural expression and government control, reflecting broader societal tensions in Iran.
🌍 Regional: It may influence perceptions of Iranian media freedom and cultural openness in the region.
🌐 International: The incident could draw attention from international observers regarding Iran's censorship policies and cultural restrictions.

📚 Background

Iran has a long history of strict censorship, particularly in media and film, where romantic and intimate scenes are often heavily edited or removed. This incident illustrates the challenges faced by media professionals in navigating these restrictions.

Censorship in Iran Cultural expression and government control
📡 Source: STATE MEDIA
📊 Confidence: 70%
As this news pertains to a sensitive issue of censorship, it is important to consider the potential bias in how state media reports on internal matters.

After years of removing romantic scenes from films broadcast on Iran's state television, the airing of an uncensored movie on the local television network of Kish Island led to the dismissal of its director. The film, featuring the famous Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan, included intimate scenes that were broadcast without any edits by the Kish television network. Alireza Najabat, the head of this network, likely like many Iranians, has watched numerous films by this Hong Kong actor and may even have a couple of Jackie Chan's films in his personal archive, but he probably never thought that a few seconds of a scene from one of his films would end his tenure as the head of the Kish Broadcasting. The film, titled 'Shinjuku Incident' and produced in 2009, deals with the extensive illegal immigration from China to Japan. The story unfolds in an area called Shinjuku, where Nick (played by Jackie Chan) and his friends have moved illegally from China. This film won an award at the 16th Hong Kong Critics Awards and was nominated for several categories including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Editing at the 29th Hong Kong Film Awards. The airing of this film on Kish's local television not only resulted in the dismissal of the network's director but also led to reprimands and dismissals of several employees. However, Najabat's dismissal notice acknowledged his efforts and services during his tenure.

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Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 90%

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