to the police station’s forensic team. On December 10 (the International Human Rights Day), one week after his disappearance, the body was identified at the morgue and his family remarked that there appeared to be bruising around his neck. He died on December 3, 1998 of suffocation. His death came only a few days after the death of Iranian political activists, Parvaneh Eskandari Forouhar and her husband, Dariush Forouhar and the assassination of writer Mohammad-Ja'far Pouyandeh. The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence later denied responsibility for the Mokhtari death and claimed a "foreign network" may have assassinated him. See also Chain murders of Iran 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners References External links UNESCO Director General Expresses Shock at the murder of Mohammad Mokhtari Background Briefing On The Killings in Iran Mohammad Mokhari memorial in defense of human rights in Iran 1942 births People from Mashhad 20th-century Iranian poets Persian-language poets Persian-language writers 1998 deaths People murdered in Iran Iranian murder victims Burials at Emamzadeh Taher 20th-century poets Iranian critics Iranian Writers Association members Shahnameh Researchers