Donald Trump's travel ban 'extremely troubling': Academy

LOS ANGELES: Academy has blasted President Donald Trump's travel ban branding it "extremely troubling".

Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, who wrote and directed the 2017 Oscar-nominated foreign language film "The Salesman," would not be able to enter the US for the awards under Trump's recently enacted travel ban, reported Variety.

"The Academy celebrates achievement in the art of filmmaking, which seeks to transcend borders and speak to audiences around the world, regardless of national, ethnic, or religious differences.

"As supporters of filmmakers -- and the human rights of all people -- around the globe, we find it extremely troubling that Asghar Farhadi, the director of the Oscar-winning film from Iran 'A Separation,' along with the cast and crew of this year's Oscar-nominated film 'The Salesman,' could be barred from entering the country because of their religion or country of origin," statement released by the Academy's official spokesperson read.

Trump signed the executive order on Friday to suspend entry of refugees to the US for 120 days, and imposed an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria. A 90-day ban was also placed on citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The 2017 Academy Awards will take place on February 26.