Hojjatollah Ayyubi to helm Iran Cinema Organization

TEHRAN,Aug.27(MNA) -- Hojjatollah Ayyubi, former director of the Economic Cooperation Organization’s Cultural Institute, has been appointed the director of the Iran Cinema Organization. The appointment was announced in a press release on Monday by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The organization is Iran’s highest state body for making policy in cinematic affairs. Filmmakers have to get a permit from the office to produce their films, which must also be approved by it for public screening. Ayyubi, 50, got his Ph.D. in political science from the Lumière University Lyon 2 in France. He was the Iranian director of the ECO Cultural Institute from 2009 to 2013 and is the deputy director of Iran’s Sadi Foundation. He is also in charge of the Shams and Rumi Foundation. He has writtten several books and articles including “Cultural Policy of France: the State & Art” (2009) and “Emergence & Persistence of Political Parties in the West” (2003). The position was held by Javad Shamaqdari, who was famous for his ‘anti-Western’ inclination. The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has also announced that Ali Moradkhani was appointed the deputy culture minister for artistic affairs. He is the director of the Music Museum of Iran and the former director of the Iran Music Center.