Iranian Nobel Laureates, Filmmakers Urge Iran, Israel Ceasefire, Regime Change

A coalition of prominent Iranian filmmakers, activists, and Nobel laureates, including Cannes winner Jafar Panahi and Shirin Ebadi, have issued a public call for an immediate ceasefire between Iran and Israel and urged Tehran to halt its uranium enrichment program. Published in an op-ed in Le Monde and shared widely, the group condemned the ongoing hostilities and attacks on civilian infrastructure, emphasizing that uranium enrichment does not serve the Iranian people but rather the authoritarian regime's geopolitical ambitions. They have also called for the resignation of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, arguing that the current leadership is incapable of resolving the country's crises. Meanwhile, a separate joint statement from twenty countries, including Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, condemned Israel’s aggression against Iran and urged for diplomacy to restore stability and prevent further escalation. Both groups highlighted the necessity of protecting nuclear facilities and called for the region to be free of nuclear and weapons of mass destruction. These international and domestic voices converge on the urgent need to end the conflict and promote peace in the Middle East.