Iranian officials are demanding an apology from movie executives in Hollywood over a string of alleged “insults and libels” about the Islamic nation in films such as “The Wrestler” and “300”.

Javad Shamaqdari, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s cultural advisor, cites the two movies as having “unjustly attacking” the country.

Shamaghdari claims the 2007 war epic “300” portrayed their ancestors as a bloodthirsty race.

Iranians also criticized “The Wrestler” for a scene which saw lead actor Mickey Rourke tearing the Iranian flag.

Representatives of America’s Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, including academy President Sid Ganis and film stars Annette Bening and Alfre Woodard, are currently visiting the country to meet with officials from the Iranian Alliance of Motion Pictures. But government executives are urging the organization to boycott the Hollywood group until an apology is given.

“We will believe President Obama’s policy of change when we see change in Hollywood too, and if Hollywood wants to correct its behavior towards Iranian people and Islamic culture then they have to officially apologize,” Shamaghdari told AFP.