Iranian Kurdish writer Mansour Yaghouti dies at 75

KERMASHAN ,— Mansour Yaghouti, a renowned Kurdish writer from Kermashan Province in Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhelat) and a literary critic, died on Saturday at the age of 75 after a prolonged battle with cancer, Iranian state media reported.

“The passing of Professor Mansour Yaghouti, a distinguished storyteller, poet, and critic, is a profound loss for contemporary literature in Iran and Kermanshah Province,” said Manuchehr Habibi, governor of Kermanshah, according to the IRNA news agency.

In August 2024, Yaghouti’s wife publicly highlighted difficulties in obtaining necessary cancer treatments due to medical shortages in Iran. The artistic community had called for improved care for the ailing writer.

Yaghouti, often referred to as “Iran’s Anton Chekhov,” was acclaimed for his sharp, evocative prose and a unique realist style. His works, including The Song of the Mountain, Stories of Deer Valley, Tales of Zagros, and Yarsan Ritual in the Myths of the Kurdish People, remain cornerstones of Kurdish literature.

Born on February 24, 1949, in the village of Keyouhnan in Sonqor County, Yaghouti grew up in a Kurdish-speaking family. His family relocated to Kermashan (Kermanshah) when he was seven.

He attended Dariush Elementary School and Kazazi High School, earning a diploma in literature before joining the Literacy Corps. In 1971, he officially began teaching under the Ministry of Education.

Yaghouti’s career faced significant challenges. In 1979, he was abruptly dismissed from the Ministry of Education without explanation. Over the years, he took on various jobs, including laborer, building security guard, and caretaker, while pursuing his writing.

He was also deeply involved in political activism. His first arrest occurred in 1967 while he was still a high school student. Arrested again in 1978 during martial law under Prime Minister Azhari, Yaghouti spent time in prison until the Iranian Revolution.

His activism continued under the Islamic Republic, leading to years in hiding and eventual imprisonment in 1985. He served a five-year sentence in Dieselabad Prison, Kermashan.

In his later years, Yaghouti focused on preserving Kurdish folklore and literary traditions, including research on the Kurdish Shahnameh.

Yaghouti’s legacy endures through his literary contributions and his advocacy for Kurdish culture and history.

(With files from IRNA | Wikipedia)