Marjane Satrapi rejects the Legion of Honor to denounce France’s “hypocrisy” towards Iran

The French-Iranian artist Marjane Satrapi, who became known throughout the world with the comic and the film ‘Persepolis’rejects the Legion of Honor, denouncing “a hypocritical attitude of France towards Iran”, especially in the allocation of visas.

Satrapi, the last Princess of Asturias winner of 2024 for Communication and Humanities, arrived in France in 1994 and was naturalized in 2006. In July she received the Legion of Honor in the rank of knight, the highest honorary decoration in France, but the artist and film director decided to “reject” the award invoking her “attachment” to her “homeland of birth”, according to a letter addressed to the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, published on Instagram.

“I cannot ignore what I perceive as France’s hypocritical attitude towards Iran,” explained the creator, who insisted that It is not a gesture of “disdain”.

In a video published a few hours later on the social network, the artist mentions that her action is “a sign of solidarity with Iranians, especially with Iranian women and youth, but also with (her) French compatriots held hostage in Iran.” ». «For some time now I have really had a hard time understanding the France’s policy towards Iran», he adds.

«Young Iranians who love freedom, dissidents, artists, are they deny visas“, even tourist, while the children of ‘Iranian oligarchs’, he says, “walk around Paris as in Saint-Tropez without that posing any problem.”

In her opinion, “supporting the women’s revolution in Iran cannot be summarized as photos with victims or celebrities at the commemoration of the death of Mahsa Amini”, the young woman arrested for violating the strict dress code of the Islamic Republic and whose death sparked a vast protest movement in 2022. “Iranians do not need communication, we need concrete actions», says Marjane Satrapi.

«Rejecting the Legion of Honor is in no way an action or gesture against France. On the contrary, I deeply love this country that is mine,” he insists. Contacted by lAFP, Marjane Satrapi explained that the delivery of her legion of honor was to take place in January. “When you have a people fighting for democracy (…) we must support it,” he said.