Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday called on the nation's artists to dedicate their works to the Islamic revolution and beware "political games" and sexy films, state media reported.
"A religious art must dedicate itself to a propagation of the divine message, of justice and of morality and must distance itself from vulgarity," Khamenei said during a meeting with some 100 artists, including some of the nation's most prominent cultural personalities in Tehran.
He called for artists to perform in accordance with their "national identity" and reflect the "beauties and values of the revolution."
Khamenei stressed that Iran would never bow to US aims, calling on Iranian movie-makers to modify the existing "sexist" approach in their films.
"One should not make sex the main theme of a production just to fill the movie halls," Khamenei said.
He warned artists against engaging in "political games," adding that Iran's enemies were always seeking to attain "their hegemonic goals through art and culture."
Since the first election of moderate President Mohammad Khatami in May 1997, the nation's artists, and notably film-makers, have been given more freedom of expression and expansion, much to the detriment of the country's powerful conservatives.
Khamenei's remarks also came just one week after reports that the nation's deputy culture minister, Seifollah Dad, had resigned to follow up on his career as a film-maker -- (AFP)
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