Palme d'Or-winning director Jafar Panahi returns home

Director Jafar Panahi returns to Iran after his Cannes Film Festival win, greeted by cheers and applause.

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Jafar Panahi touched down in Tehran's international airport on Monday, two days after his Palme d'Or victory for revenge thriller It Was Just Accident.

Panahi has been imprisoned multiple times in Iran, most recently for protesting the detention of filmmakers criticising the authorities. This was his first visit to Cannes in 15 years, where his films have been shown in his absence due to a travel ban.

His winning film depicted torture in Iranian jails and ignited a back-and-forth between French and Iranian officials.

The celebrated director, who now holds prizes from Europe's three major film festivals, was seen grinning and holding a bouquet of flowers as he embraced his friends.