According to the Farabi Cinema Foundation's public relations report, the selection committee for Iran's representative, after reviewing the selected works, unanimously deemed the film "Cause of Death: Unknown " directed by Ali Zarnegar worthy of participating in this global competition and nominated it as the official representative of Iranian cinema at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Pantea Panahiha (actress), Azadeh Mousavi (documentary filmmaker), Abolhasan Davoudi (director), Farhad Tohidi (screenwriter), Hooman Behmanesh (director of photography), Mohammad Reza Delpak (sound designer and member of the Academy of Oscars), Mostafa Kiai (director), Ali Dehkordi (actor), and Mohammad Reza Tashakori(Chairman of the Committee and Head of the International Affairs of Farabi Cinema Foundation and International Distributor) formed the nine-member selection committee.