The Number of Arrested Individuals in Connection with the Murder of Dariush Mehrjui and Vahideh Mohammadi Far Reaches 10

According to the announcement from the judiciary of Alborz province, the number of individuals arrested in the investigation into the murder of Dariush Mehrjui and Vahideh Mohammadi Far has reached 10. On Tuesday, October 17, the head of the Alborz judiciary announced that 10 people have been arrested in connection with the murder case. This comes after a spokesperson for the police command announced on Monday that seven individuals had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder. The newspaper Etemad also reported based on statements from an 'informed source' that the gardener of the home of Dariush Mehrjui and his wife Vahideh Mohammadi Far is among those arrested. Hessameddin Ashna, an advisor to the presidency during Hassan Rouhani's administration, wrote on the 'X' messaging platform: 'In the case of the death/murder/assassination of Mr. Dariush Mehrjui and Mrs. Vahideh Mohammadi Far, no internal or external possibilities should be overlooked.' He presented these remarks as a 'lesson learned' without further explanation. Following the murder of the well-known Iranian filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui and his wife Vahideh Mohammadi Far, the Tehran prosecutor announced on Monday that the managers of the newspapers Etemad and Faraz were summoned for what was termed 'admonition and guidance,' and the Minister of Interior of the Islamic Republic stated that action would be taken against 'anyone who attempts to create insecurity in society.' Additionally, Prince Reza Pahlavi stated that 'the murder of Dariush Mehrjui and Vahideh Mohammadi Far, months after the suspicious death of another well-known Iranian filmmaker, Kiumars Pourahmad, signifies for many Iranians signs of government-sponsored killings.' He emphasized: 'It is evident that a regime that has killed thousands of opposition activists and critical writers is not only unqualified to investigate this murder case but also lacks the trust of the Iranian people.' Following the murder of 84-year-old Dariush Mehrjui and his 54-year-old wife Vahideh Mohammadi Far in their private villa in Zibadasht, Ferdows County, many users and analysts have compared it to the serial killings of writers and dissenters in the 1990s. Parviz Dashtmalchi, a writer and researcher, also told Voice of America that the murder of the two bears many similarities to the killings of individuals such as Shapour Bakhtiar.