Mehdi Mahmoudian, the Iranian collaborator on Jafar Panahi’s Oscar-shortlisted filmIt Happened by Chance It Was Simply an Accident It Was Just a Mishap It Was Only an Incident It Was Accidental It Was Unintentional It Was a Casual Occurrence It Was a Simple Accident It Was Not Deliberate It Was An Unforeseen Eventhas been detained in Iran for signing a public letter that criticized the nation's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the government's management of the protests that have destabilized the country and led to numerous fatalities.
Neon, the American distributor ofIt Happened By Chance It Was Simply an Accident It Occurred by Mistake It Was a Casual Incident It Turned Out to Be an Accident It Was an Unintended Event It Was Just a Mishap It Was an Unplanned Occurrence It Was an Accidental Situation It Was a Spontaneous Accident, indicated that Mahmoudian was arrested in Tehran together with two other signatories, Vida Rabbani and Abdullah Momeni.
Seventeen individuals signed the letter in total, among them Panahi, Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize winner, andMohammad Rasoulof, director of the 2025 Oscar-nominated filmThe Origin of the Sacred Fig, who is currently residing in exile in Germany.
In the letter, those who signed it have criticized Khameni for approving the "mass and widespread killing of people" during the protests against the regime that started in December, which were triggered by high inflation and the severe cost of living issues affecting the nation.
Scroll further down to view the complete letter beneath.
The Iranian authorities have confirmed that over 3,000 individuals have lost their lives, although human rights groups believe the actual figure could be in the tens of thousands.
In response to Mahmoudian's arrest, former German Minister of Culture Claudia Roth strongly criticized the Iranian government's actions, describing the detention as "an assault on artistic freedom and a component of the government's ongoing strategy to suppress dissenting opinions."
Jafar Panahi issued a statement following the arrest of Mahmoudian.
I encountered Mehdi Mahmoudian while in prison. From the very beginning, he was noticeable - not just due to his composed nature and compassionate behavior but also because of an uncommon sense of accountability towards others. Every time a new inmate arrived, Mehdi would attempt to supply them with essential items and, even more significantly, give them comfort. He turned into a steady support within the prison - a person that prisoners from every faith and origin relied on and shared their thoughts with.
He added, "We were incarcerated together for seven months. A few months after he was released, while I was working on the screenplay for It Was Just an Accident, I requested his assistance in improving the dialogue. His nine years in prison provided him with firsthand, real-life understanding of the legal system and life behind bars. Additionally, his extensive research in human rights made him a trustworthy and knowledgeable resource to consult."
Panahi stated: "48 hours prior to his arrest, we had a phone conversation and then sent each other a few messages. I sent him my final message at 4 AM. By noon the following day, there was no response. I became concerned and reached out to mutual friends; none of them had heard from him. A few hours later, BBC Persian officially announced that Mehdi Mahmoudian, along with Abdollah Momeni and Vida Rabbani, had been taken into custody."
Mehdi Mahmoudian is more than a human rights advocate and a prisoner of conscience; he is an observer, a listener, and a unique moral figure — one whose lack of presence is quickly noticed, both within prison confines and outside of them.
Panahi is also encountering legal proceedings in Iran following hissentenced at the end of last year to a one-year jail term while they were not presentand a travel restriction due to "propaganda actions" against the country. He is currently challenging the verdict and has mentioned that he plans to return to Iran after the awards season.
It Happened by Chance It Was Simply an Incident It Was Just a Mishap It Occurred by Mistake It Was an Unintended Event It Was a Casual Accident It Was an Unplanned Incident It Was a Simple Accident It Happened Accidentally It Was an Unexpected Eventunveiled at Cannes last year, where itwon the highly sought-after Palme d’Or. Since that time, it has received multiple nominations, including at theEuropean Film Awardsand the upcoming Academy Awards – where it isshortlisted for both Best Screenplay and Best International Feature.
The movie, which was included inEuronews Culture's Top Films of 2025, is Panahi’s first film since being freed from prison. It draws partially from the experiences of director Jafar Panahi, who has beenjailed multiple times by the authoritarian Iranian regimeThe movie centers around a group of ex-Iranian political prisoners who abduct the individual they think is their former captor.
In our review, we stated: "It's a captivating thriller that delves into the effects of torture, the cost of vengeance, and the possibility of compassion. Panahi skillfully incorporates dark humor and even slapstick moments to create a satirical road trip that criticizes the Islamist Republic's oppression and serves as a timeless reflection on the crimes of state tyranny. (...) It Was Just An Accident once more highlights that the exceptional work of Iranian filmmakers should not be overlooked by viewers, who have the privilege of experiencing the creations of artists who risk everything for their craft."
It Happened By Chance It Was Simply an Mishap It Occurred by Mistake It Was a Casual Incident It Turned Out to Be an Unintended Event It Was an Unplanned Situation It Was a Spontaneous Occurrence It Was an Unintentional Act It Was a Random Event It Was a Simple Accidentco-written by Panahi, Mahmoudian, Nader Saeiver, and Shadhmer Rastin. All of the screenwriters are nominated for an Academy Award at the 98th Academy Awards, set to occur in Los Angeles on 15 March.
Here is the complete statement signed by Mahmoudian and the other advocates:
Khamenei Bears Blame for These Terrible Conditions in Iran
Respected, brave, and sorrowful citizens of Iran,
The large-scale and deliberate killing of individuals who courageously demonstrated to end an unjust government represents a structured crime against humanity by the state. The deployment of real bullets against civilians, the death of tens of thousands, the detention and harassment of many more, the attack on the injured, the blocking of medical assistance, and the killing of wounded demonstrators are nothing short of an attack on Iran's national security and a violation of the nation's interests.
The main blame for these crimes rests with Ali Khamenei, the head of the Islamic Republic, and the oppressive system of the regime. This authoritarian system has used widespread violence to stay in power while disregarding the fundamental and unchangeable rights of the people - including the essential right to pursue changes in the political structure. The consistent categorization of demonstrators as "seditionists," "rioters," "vandals," or "terrorists linked to enemies" is a conscious effort to take away the Iranian population's basic right to decide their own future.
The painful events of recent years have shown that the main barrier to saving Iran from its present crisis is Ali Khamenei and the religious dictatorship he oversees. Every day this regime stays in control, it worsens societal breakdown, spreads death and devastation, and pushes the country closer to irreversible decline. For many years, Iran has been caught in crises stemming from poorly planned confrontational strategies, and now, the threat of war—directly caused by the persistence of this regime—hangs over the nation more than ever before.
At this pivotal point in history, where Iran's future appears more bleak than ever before, we emphasize the pressing need for justice for those who have died and the immediate freedom of all political detainees. Although we acknowledge that absolute power rarely surrenders to transformation, we hold the conviction that the sole way to rescue Iran is through the legal action against everyone who authorized and executed acts of suppression, and by terminating the non-republican and cruel governing system.
We advocate for the creation of a wide-ranging national coalition to plan a referendum and set up a constitutional assembly, allowing all Iranians, regardless of their political views, to engage in a fair and open process to shape their political destiny.
We caution that not following this route will lead Iran into a severe cycle of conflict.
May the light of liberty shine upon our people and our country.
Participants: Ghorban Behzadian-Nejad; Jafar Panahi; Amirsalar Davoudi; Vida Rabbani; Mohammad Rasoulof; Hossein Razagh; Nasrin Sotoudeh; Abolfazl Ghadyani; Hatam Ghaderi; Abbas Sadeghi; Manzar Zarrabi; Nargess Foundation; Mehdi Mahmoudian; Saeed Madani; Abdollah Momeni; Mohammad Najafi; Sedigheh Vasmaghi.
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