Hossein Fazeli-Harikandi said Mehrjui and his wife, Vahideh Mohammadifar, were found dead in their home in Zibadasht town, Alborz, on Saturday night.
He said Mehrjui’s daughter, Mona, said her father sent a message to her at around 8:50 p.m. on Saturday and invited her to their house for dinner, but after she arrived at around 10:25 p.m., she found them dead with knife wounds in their necks.
The investigation into the case is currently underway, he added.
Mehrjui, 83, was a notable Iranian film director, whose most famous films include Hamoun, Dayereh Mina, The Cow, Sara, Pari, Leila, Mum’s Guest, and Santouri.
In a note, Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili expressed his grief over the incident and offered his condolences to their families and the country’s art and cinema communities.
Undoubtedly, Mehrjui was one of the pioneers in Iranian cinema who produced lasting works during his six decades of activity. This bitter and painful incident will be followed up by the relevant institutions until its dimensions are clarified, and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance will demand and pursue it seriously, he added.
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