Iranian award winning and opposition backing film director Jafar Panahi was arrested with his family and guests in his home in Teheran, Iranian media reported.

"About 10 p.m. on Monday, several plainclothes agents raided the house," Panahi's son, Panah Panahi told Rahesabz opposition website.

Panahi's son said that Iranian security agents arrested Panahi's wife, daughter and 15 guests and after a search confiscated some of his personal belongings and computer as well.

Jafar Panahi's films are banned in Iran and seen as critical of the current regime. Their production is mainly funded by European organizations.

The film director is a vocal supporter of green opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi. Panahi has widely criticized last year's disputed presidential elections and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's regime.

Iranian official media have not reported the filmmaker's arrest yet.

Jafar Panahi, 49, has won international recognition with such films as the Circle, the Crimson Gold and Offside. He won the Camera d'Or award at the Cannes film festival in 1995 for his debut film The White Balloon. In 2000, the Circle won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival and Offside received the Jury Grand Prix silver bear at the 56th Berlinale Film Festival.

Iran has been in political turmoil since anti-government demonstrations that followed presidential elections in June 2009. The opposition, led by defeated candidate Mousavi, lost the elections and claimed the polls had been rigged in favor of Iran's hard-line leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

MOSCOW, March 2 (RIA Novosti)