Iranian Director Asghar Farhadi Won't Attend Oscars, Even If Granted Exception

Just a day after news that Iranian director Asghar Farhadi may not be able to attend the Oscars due to the “Muslim ban,” he has announced that won’t be at the ceremony.

The 44-year-old Oscar-winning director, who is nominated for Best Foreign Language Film for The Salesman, released a statement expressing his thoughts about the situation.

“I regret to announce via this statement that I have decided to not attend the Academy Awards Ceremony alongside my fellow members of the cinematic community,” Asghar said in a statement to the New York Times.

He added, “The possibility of this presence is being accompanied by ifs and buts which are in no way acceptable to me even if exceptions were to be made for my trip.”

Asghar continued on to share his “condemnation” over the “unjust conditions” and other thoughts he would have said to the press if he had attended.

Read his full statement at NYTimes.com.