Documentary explores Iran’s influence on Bosnia

B92’s new documentary “On the Horizon” looks at the influence of Iran on Bosnia and the entire region. It also looks at Iranian culture, and extremist regimes. Documentary explores Iran’s influence on Bosnia In the last several years, the influence of Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran has increased in Bosnia. The influence of these countries does not have to be bad, film producer Lazar Lalic said, adding that if there is a radicalization of Islam in Bosnia, there will be a danger of radicalization among Serbs and Croats as well. Lalic said that this could represent a great danger to the entire region. The influence of Islamic states are also present in Serbia's southwestern Sandzak region, above all with the Wahhabi movement. “In Bosnia, the influence of Wahhabism was greater during the war, but it is now decreasing, because people understand that it is an extremist faction of Islam. Iran has things to offer materially. It is no secret that it supplied Bosnia with weapons, via Croatia, during the war,” Lalic said. The influence of Iran in Bosnia is sophisticated and goes through the rich Iranian culture, which relies on the ancient Persian civilization, Lalic said, adding that almost the entire Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) intellectual elite is under Iranian influence. Lalic also warned that there is "difference between the influence of a rich culture and the influence of a retrograde regime represented by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad". The documentary, made by Goran Kovacic, Ivana Lalic Majdak and Lazar Lalic, will air on B92 TV this evening at 21:00 CET.

Documentary explores Iran’s influence on Bosnia

In the last several years, the influence of Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran has increased in Bosnia.

The influence of these countries does not have to be bad, film producer Lazar Lalić said, adding that if there is a radicalization of Islam in Bosnia, there will be a danger of radicalization among Serbs and Croats as well.

Lalić said that this could represent a great danger to the entire region. The influence of Islamic states are also present in Serbia's southwestern Sandžak region, above all with the Wahhabi movement.

“In Bosnia, the influence of Wahhabism was greater during the war, but it is now decreasing, because people understand that it is an extremist faction of Islam. Iran has things to offer materially. It is no secret that it supplied Bosnia with weapons, via Croatia, during the war,” Lalić said.

The influence of Iran in Bosnia is sophisticated and goes through the rich Iranian culture, which relies on the ancient Persian civilization, Lalić said, adding that almost the entire Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) intellectual elite is under Iranian influence.

Lalić also warned that there is "difference between the influence of a rich culture and the influence of a retrograde regime represented by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad".

The documentary, made by Goran Kovačić, Ivana Lalić Majdak and Lazar Lalić, will air on B92 TV this evening at 21:00 CET.