Reports: Iranian Filmmaker Panahi Arrested

Jafar Panahi

TEHRAN -- Reports say Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has been arrested at his house and transferred to an unknown location.

The internationally acclaimed 49-year-old filmmaker is a vocal supporter of the opposition movement.

Opposition websites quoted his son, Panah Panahi, as saying the filmmaker was arrested along with his family and guests when security forces raided his home in Tehran on March 1.

There has been no official confirmation of the arrest.

Panahi is known for socially critical movies such as "The Circle" and "Offside."

Earlier this year, authorities refused to give him permission to leave Iran to attend the Berlin Film Festival where he had been invited as an honorary guest.