Samoui, Mohammad Mehdi

Spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. In that capacity, he announced in July 2023 that the Ministry had banned the festival of the Iran Short Film Association because a festival promotional poster featured a photo of a woman not wearing a hijab. 

The U.S. has sanctioned the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance under Executive Order 13628 for human rights abuses.² 

Sources:

1. https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/iran-film-festival-canceled-scli-intl/index.html 

2. https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Documents/Fact%20Sheet%20-%20Sanctions%20on%20Iranian%20Govt%20and%20Affiliates%20-%20November%208,%202012.pdf; https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/11/16/2012-27938/designation-of-four-4-individuals-and-five-5-entities-pursuant-to-executive-order-13628-of-octobe; https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/sanctioned-person/irans-ministry-of-culture-and-islamic-guidance