Mohammad Mokhtari (writer)

Mohammad Mokhtari (1942-1998) was an Iranian poet, writer, translator, and literary critic. He was a prominent figure in contemporary Persian literature, known for his modern and experimental poetry, his translations of works by Pablo Neruda and Federico Garcia Lorca, and his critical essays on Iranian culture and society.

Mokhtari was a member of the Writers Association of Iran, an organization that advocated for freedom of expression. He was a vocal critic of censorship and political repression in Iran.

In 1998, Mokhtari was abducted and murdered as part of the "Chain Murders" (also known as the "Serial Murders of Iran"). These were a series of assassinations of dissident intellectuals and political activists carried out by rogue elements within the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence. His death, along with those of other intellectuals such as Mohammad Jafar Pouyandeh, shocked the Iranian literary community and sparked widespread protests. The murders exposed the systematic repression of dissenting voices in Iran and remain a sensitive and controversial topic. Mokhtari's literary legacy continues to be celebrated, and his work serves as a testament to the importance of freedom of expression.