Peeved, Perturbed, and Pissed in Persia

Although most of the reviews I've read of 300, the adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel of the same name about the Battle of Thermopylae, it's done big box office in its first week and jedi jawa enjoyed it. However, at least one group is giving the film a big thumbs down (or, as Sneaking Into the Movies gave Dirty Larry, the finger) - Persians, i.e., Iranians.

You see, the movie is about a heroic stand of about 300 (hence the title) Spartan soldiers at a narrow mountain pass against a massive Persian army under the command of the great Persian emperor Xerxes. The Persians won the battle, but at great cost, and it allowed Sparta's allied Greeks to escape, fight another day, and win the war. So, in other words, the Persians are the bad guys. This is not going over too well in Tehran, given the current geo-political situation:

Everywhere else I went, from the dentist to the flower shop, Iranians buzzed with resentment at the film's depictions of Persians, adamant that the movie was secretly funded by the U.S. government to prepare Americans for going to war against Iran. "Otherwise why now, if not to turn their people against us?" demanded an elderly lady buying tuberoses. "Yes, truly it is a grave offense," I said, shaking my own bunch of irises.

Oy. In addition, the film's release coincided with an ancient Persian festival related to Zoroastrianism that taps deeply into national pride. Wonder when the premier in Tehran will be?