Some activists and opposition figures in Iran have drawn parallels between the recent killing of acclaimed Iranian director Dariush Mehrjui and his wife and similar killings in the past that were ultimately deemed political murders
Mehrjui and his wife, Vahideh Mohammadifar, were stabbed to death over the weekend in their home about 30 kilometers west of Tehran, Iranian judiciary officials said on October 15. Mehrjui, 83, was known as a co-founder of Iran's film new wave in the early 1970s.
Human rights advocate Nasrin Sotudeh said the deaths “eerily bring back memories of the harrowing assassination of Dariush Foruhar and his wife, especially as we near their death anniversary."
Forouhar and Parvaneh Eskandari Foruhar were vocal critics of Iran's religious leadership and were constantly monitored. They were murdered in their home on November 21, 1998.
The individuals who confessed to the murders were affiliated with Iran's Intelligence Ministry and admitted that the murders were termed a "physical elimination" directed by the ministry.
Sotudeh also commented on the killing of Mehrjui and Mohammadifar on social media in a post on October 16, questioning the nature of the murder and stressing the need for a "referendum to institute a competent government that ensures security."
Political activist Emadaldin Baghi expressed similar concerns in a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that drew parallels with the killing of the Foruhars and suggesting that their killing was reminiscent of the notorious series of political murders that rocked Iran in the 1990s.
Jomhuri Islami, a prominent Iranian newspaper, also drew analogies between Mehrjui's murder and the "chain murders of the 1990s." The newspaper urged officials to swiftly and diligently probe the matter to root out any underlying corruption.
Adding to the growing chorus of voices commenting on the killings was the Association of Iranian Film and Theater Artists Abroad.
Formed in the wake of last year's sweeping nationwide protests, the association warned that Mehrjui's death was a grim reminder of the perils artists continuously face in Iran, alluding to the murders in the 1900s and murder of the Foruhars.
The government-aligned Iran newspaper dismissed the comments, criticizing entities for drawing parallels to previous killings without furnishing concrete evidence. It further accused certain Persian-speaking international media and what it called a "domestic faction" of unduly politicizing the incident.