Iran leaders, populace at odds over spy thriller
ISABEL DEBRE | Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A controversial Iranian TV spy thriller is once again generating buzz in the Islamic Republic, drawing the ire of government officials and complaints from viewers Sunday over alleged censorship in the second season finale.
The fictional series, titled “Gando,” chronicles the exploits of Iran's Revolutionary Guard agents – in the style of James Bond or Jason Bourne.
Hard-liners and other fans of the show are blaming the government for pulling the second season off the air prematurely, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported. When uncut scenes surfaced Sunday on Aparat.com, an Iranian version of YouTube, speculation swirled on social media about possible government censorship. The clips showed that episodes aired last week had altered dialogue to replace mentions of “the president” with “an official.”