The Iranian government is taking a victory lap after countryman Asghar Farhadi´s "A Separation" won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Picture Sunday night, calling the win a victory over Israel.

"A Separation´s" win in the category marks "the beginning of the collapse" of Israeli influence in the United States, Javad Shamaghdari, head of Iran´s Cinematic Agency trumpeted on state-run TV, The Associated Press reported.

Shamaghdari also said that the Oscar win meant "American judgment was bowed to the Iranian culture," according to the Iran Daily newspaper.

The drama defeated the Israeli entry "A Footnote."

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Tensions between the two countries have heightened in recent months over the growing capacity of Iran´s nuclear program, which the International Atomic Energy Agency warned is close to producing half the amount of enriched uranium to arm a nuclear warhead.

The Israeli government is reportedly mulling strikes against Iran´s Bushehr nuclear power plant.

“The very fact that the life of us Iranians is displayed to the world makes me happy,” 27-year-old teacher Mina Jourakhzade told the Washington Post. “This movie might not change the minds of politicians, but least it can change the idea foreign people have about us.”

Iranian hardliners and religious figures have not always been so receptive to "A Separation" before the film´s recent awards season glory. Many conservatives blasted the film´s implied equality for women and "Western influences," the AP reported.

There has been no public congratulations from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Farhadi himself downplayed any nationalistic message attached to his film.

"People in Iran follow the Oscars a lot more than you think they do," he told reporters backstage after his win. "I know for a fact that right now, as the event is happening, it´s in the middle of the night, in the middle of the morning and people are not sleeping. I know they are following.

"I don´t think that government people are really interested," he added. (© Copyright 2012 NYDailyNews.com. 02/28/12)