Mehdi Mahmoudian, who co-wrote “It Was Just an Accident,” was taken into custody in Tehran for signing a statement condemning the actions of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khameni.

Oscar-nominated screenwriter arrested in Iran

Mehdi Mahmoudian, who co-wrote "It Was Just an Accident," was taken into custody in Tehran for signing a statement condemning the actions of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khameni.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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February 1, 2026 3:16 p.m. ET

A still from Jafar Panahi's Oscar-nominated film 'It Was Just An Accident'. Credit:

A co-screenwriter behind the Oscar-nominated thriller *It Was Just An Accident* has been arrested in Iran after speaking out against the Islamic Republic’s regime.

On Saturday, Academy Award nominee Mehdi Mahmoudian was arrested in Tehran by Iranian government officials. Neon, the U.S. distributor of the film, announced on Sunday that Mahmoudian's arrest came days after he was one of 17 signatories of a public statement condemning Ali Khameni, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The statement — which was also signed by *It Was Just an Accident* director and co-writer Jafar Panahi, *The Seed of the Sacred Fig* filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Narges Mohammadi — condemned the Iranian government’s deadly campaign against civilian protesters.****It read, in part, "The mass and systematic killing of citizens who bravely took to the streets to bring an end to an illegitimate regime constitutes an organized state crime against humanity. The use of live ammunition against civilians, the killing of tens of thousands, the arrest and persecution of tens of thousands more, the assault on the wounded, the obstruction of medical care, and the killing of injured protesters amount to nothing less than an assault on Iran’s national security and a betrayal of the country."

Jafar Panahi and Mehdi Mahmoudian.

Panahi, a seasoned filmmaker and political activist, has since released a statement honoring his co-writer.

"I met Mehdi Mahmoudian in prison," Panahi began. "From the very first days, he stood out—not only because of his calm demeanor and kind conduct but also because of a rare sense of responsibility toward others. Whenever a new prisoner arrived, Mehdi would try to provide them with basic necessities and, more importantly, offer reassurance. He became a quiet pillar inside the prison—someone inmates of all beliefs and backgrounds trusted and confided in."

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Panahi's statement noted that following the seven months that they spent behind bars together, he began working on the screenplay for *It Was Just an Accident, *and eventually reached out to Mahmoudian for his help with the dialogue.

"His nine years of imprisonment had given him direct, lived knowledge of the judicial system and prison life," Panahi wrote. "Also, his extensive fieldwork in human rights had made him a reliable and authoritative source for consultation."

Panahi shared that he last spoke to Mahmoudian 48 hours prior to his arrest and grew concerned about him when his latest message was met with silence.

"Mehdi Mahmoudian is not just a human rights activist and a prisoner of conscience; he is a witness, a listener, and a rare moral presence," Panahi concluded. "A presence whose absence is immediately felt, both inside prison walls and beyond them."

Vahid Mobasseri in 'It Was Just An Accident'.

*It Was Just an Accident *is nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Oscars. The film, made covertly in Iran, was France's entry for Best International Feature Film.

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Panahi, an acclaimed filmmaker often associated with the Iranian New Wave movement, has made films through various states of imprisonment, house arrest, and travel ban.* It Was Just an Accident *was inspired by the filmmaker's most recent stint in prison. Panahi and Mahmoudian are credited as screenwriters of the film, alongside Nader Saeiver and Shadhmer Rastin.

Last fall, Panahi was again sentenced to a year in prison and given a two-year ban on leaving Iran after being convicted on charges of "propaganda activities against the system." Panahi, who has been traveling internationally to promote the film, has said he will return to Iran despite the sentence.

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