Iran to produce film refuting Ben Affleck's 'Argo'

Iranian director to make film giving Tehran's version of "ahistoric film Argo," about CIA mission to free hostages from Iran.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Ben Affleck in Argo (photo credit: Courtesy)
Ben Affleck in Argo
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Iran's Art Bureau is planning to produce a film presenting its own version of the events depicted in Ben Affleck's Argo, which tells the story of a 1980 CIA operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran.
Iran's Mehr News Agency quoted the film's director, Ataollah Salmanian, as saying on Thursday that the film, entitled The General Staff, would be "an appropriate response to the ahistoric film Argo.”
Salmanian said that the film would be based on eyewitness accounts of the events. He added that shooting was slated to begin next year.
The Iranian regime classified Argo as "anti-Iranian" upon its US premiere in October, according to Mehr.
Argo is based on the true story of CIA operative Tony Mendez's mission to rescue six Americans from Iran during the height of the 1979 hostage crisis by helping them pose as a Canadian film crew making a fictitious film.
Argo took best picture honors at the Critic's Choice Awards earlier this month, and Affleck won best director honors.
Reuters contributed to this report.