SHORT TAKES : Director Is Glad Iran Is Mad

The director and co-writer of the movie “The Naked Gun” said Wednesday he welcomed Iranian criticism of his film, which shows the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini being slapped down by a Los Angeles detective.

“It feels nice to have enemies like that,” said David Zucker, who co-wrote and directed the film with his brother Jerry. “I’m trying to do movies that make people angry. I must be doing something right.”

Iran on Tuesday formally protested to Turkey over the movie, which portrays the late leader as a terrorist ringleader with punkish orange hair under his turban.

Two Iranian newspapers urged their government Wednesday to take diplomatic action against Turkey for the continued screening of the film in Ankara and Istanbul theaters.