Is Iran a threat to the world? The escape of a film director has put the spotlight on Iran's ruthless approach to its enemies both at home and abroad.
Movie genius on the run after flogging threat
Hiding: Award-winning Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof (above) says he will attend the Cannes Film Festival. Glossary
Cannes - A city in southern France, known for its annual film festival.
Iranian - From Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, a country in West Asia home to nearly 90 million people.
Tehran - The capital of Iran.
Paranoid - Believing, often with no solid basis, that you are being harassed, betrayed or persecuted by others.
Sentenced - Declare the punishment for a person who has done something wrong.
Flogging - Beating someone with a whip or stick.
BBC - The British Broadcasting Corporation is the UK's national broadcaster.
Government - The group of people who govern - or lead - the country.
Terrorists - Those who use violence or the threat of violence to create fear among a wide group of people.
Houthis - An Islamist rebel group that controls a large part of Yemen. They are allies of Hamas in Gaza.
Hezbollah - A militant organisation based in Lebanon, classified in the UK as a terrorist group. It has made direct attacks on Israel and is believed to have been responsible for assassinating Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.
Russia - The largest country in the world by area. It has a population of 144 million people.
Ukraine - A country in Eastern Europe. It was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
Nuclear bomb - A device that uses a nuclear reaction to create an explosion.