Tehran: Minister of Culture Abbas Salehi expressed his condolences on the passing of Bahram Beyzai, an influential Iranian playwright, theatre and film director, screenwriter, editor, and scholar of Persian theatre history.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the message issued on Sunday described Beyzai's death as a 'deeply saddening' incident. Throughout his extensive career in the arts, Beyzai contributed significantly to the expansion of Iranian narrative art by creating theatrical and cinematic works that focused on cultural and mythological roots.

Salehi noted that Beyzai's dedication to research and the advancement of dramatic knowledge, as well as his effective role in nurturing a new generation, forms an integral part of his cultural legacy. Beyzai's works, research, and writings, spanning publications to theatrical and cinematic productions, will endure in the memory of Iranian art, he stated.

Beyzai passed away at the age of 87 on Saturday, as reported by his wife on social media. He died in the United States, where he had resided for the past 15 years. Among his most acclaimed feature films are "Ballad of Tara," "The Death of Yazdgerd," "Bashu, The Little Stranger," "Maybe Some Other Time," "The Travelers," and "Killing Mad Dogs."

Throughout his prolific career, Beyzai wrote more than 30 plays and staged eight major theater productions. His extensive body of work includes 51 screenplays, five narrative works, and six academic research publications.