 According to The Guardian , Iranian critics of 300 , ranging from bloggers to government officials , have described the movie " as a calculated attempt to demonise Iran at a time of intensifying U.S. pressure over the country 's nuclear programme " . An Iranian government spokesman described the film as " hostile behavior which is the result of cultural and psychological warfare " . Moaveni reported that the Iranians she interacted with were " adamant that the movie was secretly funded by the U.S. government to prepare Americans for going to war against Iran " . 
