Javad Shamaghdari, the head of Iran’s government-controlled cinema agency has called upon his country to boycott the 2013 Oscars. Shamaghdari has urged that the committee responsible for selecting Iran’s nominee for the Best Foreign Film award refrains from doing so next year, unless the awards organisers denounce the anti-Islam film The Innocence of Muslims. According to a report from Associated Press, the committee have already selected a nominee, Yek Habbeh Ghand" ("A Cube Of Sugar"), although the selection has not been finalized by the government.

Since its release, The Innocence of Muslims – which was made in the United States - has sparked controversy and outrage and violence across the world. Protests have continued for around a fortnight in Islamic communities and show no signs of abating. According to the Australian news agency ABC, a second bounty has been placed on the head of the filmmaker. Today’s video report reveals that an Islamist party in Pakistan joined a government minister in outing up a $100,000 reward for anyone that kills the filmmaker. Over the weekend, riots are said to have broken out in “all of Pakistan’s main cities,” resulting in over 20 deaths.

At last year’s Academy Awards ceremony, the Iranian nominee The Separation won the award for best foreign film. Javad Shamaghdari has previously made calls to “deprive” Western film festivals of Iranian cinema.