Renowned Iranian filmmaker, Dariush Mehrjui, aged 83, and his wife discovered deceased with stab injuries at their residence
According to ISNA, Iran's news agency, four individuals have been linked to the alleged homicides, with two of them currently in custody
Dariush Mehrjui, aged 83, and his wife Vahideh Mohammadifar were discovered with stab wounds at their residence in the Iranian city of Karaj this past Saturday.
Mehrjui was a leading figure in Iran’s new wave cinema movement and was widely recognised for his contributions to filmmaking. Mohammadifar, who also resided in Karaj, was esteemed for her work as a costume designer.
Their daughter Mona made the distressing discovery.
Her father extended a dinner invitation to her via a text message around 9 pm local time, as reported by the Independent.
This information was verified by Hossein Fazeli-Harikandi, the chief justice of Alborz province.
Mona arrived approximately 30 minutes later to the grim discovery of her parents’ lifeless bodies.
Fazeli-Harikandi disclosed, “During the initial inquiry, it was determined that Dariush Mehrjui and his wife, Vahideh Mohammadifar, succumbed to fatal stab wounds to the neck.”
While police confirmed the incident as a ‘murder’, the motive remains unknown.
Fazeli-Harikandi went on to say, “The investigation unveiled no prior reports of illegal entry or theft at the Mehrjui family villa.”
This remark referred to Mohammadifar’s earlier apprehension about a possible break-in and burglary at her residence. She had also mentioned receiving threats.
Nonetheless, authorities noted, “No signs of forced entry were apparent at the crime scene,” and clarified that “no damage was inflicted upon the doors” of the house.
According to ISNA, Iran’s news agency, four individuals have been linked to the alleged homicides, with two of them currently in custody.
Tributes have poured in over the weekend, with fellow director Houman Seyedi deeming the apparent slayings as ‘terrible and brutal’.
Seyedi expressed on Instagram, “This is unbelievable. It is terrible and brutal, for what sin? They kill two defenceless human beings like this!”
Meanwhile, Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaili, Iran’s Minister of Culture, hailed Mehrjui as ‘one of the pioneers of Iranian cinema’.
