Mehdi Mousavi

{{Short description|Iranian poet}} {{Infobox writer | name = Mehdi Mousavi | image = Mehdi Mousavi Norway.jpg | occupation = {{Flatlist| * Poet * pharmacist }} | education = PHD of Pharmacy | movement = Postmodern Ghazal | language = Persian | birth_date = {{birth date|1976|10|02|df=y}} | birth_place = Tehran, Iran | birth_name = Seyed Mehdi Mousavi | native_name = سید مهدی موسوی | native_name_lang = fa | website = {{URL|mehdimousavi.net}} }}

'''Mehdi Mousavi''', also '''Mehdi Moosavi''', also '''Seyed Mahdi Mousavi''' (Persian: سید مهدی موسوی) (born 1976)<ref name="auto">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/02/world/middleeast/petition-urges-ayatollah-to-pardon-condemned-iranian-poets.html |title=Petition Urges Ayatollah to Pardon Condemned Iranian Poets |last=Gladstone |first=Rick |work=The New York Times |date=1 November 2015}}</ref><ref name="englishpen.org">{{cite web |url=https://www.englishpen.org/press/iran-fatemeh-ekhtesari-and-mehdi-moosavi-sentenced/ |title=Iran: Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Moosavi sentenced - English PEN |date=21 October 2015 |publisher=English PEN}}</ref> is an Iranian poet, novelist, lyricist and trained pharmacist. He is regarded as one of the leading figures of Iran’s post-modern ghazal movement and is known for his socially engaged poetry and literary activism. Mousavi was arrested in 2013 along with poet Fateme Ekhtesari, and later sentenced to nine years in prison and 99 lashes.<ref name="auto" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iranhumanrights.org/2015/10/two-poets-sentenced/ |title=Two Poets Sentenced to Flogging and Nine and Eleven Years in Prison |publisher=Center for Human Rights in Iran |date=14 October 2015}}</ref> A group of poets and writers signed a petition calling for their release.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pen.org/poets-rally-for-iranian-colleagues/ |title=Poets Rally for Iranian Colleagues |publisher=PEN America |date=30 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/04/poets-lobby-iran-to-pardon-pair-convicted-of-insulting-religion |title=Poets lobby Iran to pardon pair convicted of insulting religion |last=Dehghan |first=Saeed Kamali |work=The Guardian |date=4 November 2015}}</ref> He escaped from Iran in December 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/iranian-poet-flees-iran-sentenced-to-prison-lashes-insulting-sanctities/27562381.html |title=Iranian Poet Flees Because Of Crippling Censorship |last=Esfandiari |first=Golnaz |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty}}</ref> Mousavi now lives in Lillehammer, Norway, where he arrived in January 2017 as part of the international Cities of Refuge Network.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://litteraturfestival.no/en/artists/mehdi-mousavi.html |title=Mehdi Mousavi – Norwegian Festival of Literature}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Mousavi was born in 1976 in Tehran and grew up in the nearby city of Karaj. He began writing short stories and poetry in childhood and published his first poems as a teenager. His early teachers encouraged his interest in literature, and by the late 1990s he had become active in Karaj’s literary circles. He later studied pharmacy at the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, where he earned a doctorate. During his student years he faced disciplinary pressure for organising underground literary workshops and readings.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gladstone |first=Rick |title=Petition Urges Ayatollah to Pardon Condemned Iranian Poets |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/02/world/middleeast/petition-urges-ayatollah-to-pardon-condemned-iranian-poets.html |work=The New York Times |date=1 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://englishpen.org/posts/news/iran-fatemeh-ekhtesari-and-mehdi-moosavi-sentenced/ |title=Iran: Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Moosavi sentenced |publisher=English PEN |date=21 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iranhumanrights.org/2015/10/two-poets-sentenced/ |title=Two Poets Sentenced to Flogging and Nine and Eleven Years in Prison |publisher=Center for Human Rights in Iran |date=14 October 2015}}</ref>

== Career == Two collections of poems entitled ''Suddenly'' and ''Beeping for the Sheep'' were denied permission for publication by the authorities. Many more of his poems denied publication were published online.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-10-21 |title=Iran: Two Poets Sentenced and What You Can Do |url=https://pen.org/rapid-action/iran-two-poets-sentenced-and-what-you-can-do/ |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=PEN America |language=en}}</ref>

Most of the works by this movement has faced severe censorship by the Iranian officials, and almost all of these works were banned in Iran, and have therefore been distributed underground.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dehghan |first=Saeed Kamali |date=2015-11-04 |title=Poets lobby Iran to pardon pair convicted of insulting religion |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/04/poets-lobby-iran-to-pardon-pair-convicted-of-insulting-religion |access-date=2026-05-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Mousavi has run creative writing workshops where he has been teaching writing of poetry, short-stories and novels. Banned from meeting in public, they would often meet in people’s homes. The workshops were regularly shut down by the Iranian authorities, who placed Mousavi and several of his peers under surveillance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inquire: Journal of Comparative Literature |url=http://inquire.streetmag.org/articles/81 |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=inquire.streetmag.org}}</ref>

Mehdi Mousavi also holds a PhD in Pharmacy,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mehdi Mousavi |url=https://icorn.org/writer/mehdi-mousavi |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=ICORN international cities of refuge network |language=en}}</ref> and owned and ran his own pharmacy in Ilam, Iran, from 2012-2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=» داروخانه مهدي موسوي دره شهر |url=http://list.pezeshkaddress.com/2018/07/21/%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%ae%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%87-%d9%85%d9%87%d8%af%d9%8a-%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b3%d9%88%d9%8a-%d8%af%d8%b1%d9%87-%d8%b4%d9%87%d8%b1/ |access-date=2023-02-19 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

== Literary Activities in Iran == Mehdi Mousavi is widely regarded by many as a leading figure in post-modern ghazal poetry. According to critics and readers, he is considered one of the most significant and influential poets in Iran since the Islamic Revolution. Many of his poems have entered the collective memory of Iranians, appearing in public spaces such as graffiti or being used in personal forms of expression, including tattoos.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Over Falafel in Tel Aviv, an Exiled Iranian Poet Talks of Life After Torture |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-06-30/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/over-falafel-in-tel-aviv-an-exiled-iranian-poet-talks-of-life-after-torture/00000189-08f0-dc81-a9db-59fa932f0000 |website=Haaretz}}</ref>

In addition to his poetic work, Mousavi has influenced the contemporary literary scene through his creative writing workshops, where a number of prominent Iranian poets of the 2000s and 2010s spent periods of study.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beletrina |first=Production |title=Fatemeh Ekhtesari {{!}} Versopolis Poetry |url=https://www.versopolis.com/poet/435/fatemeh-ekhtesari |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=www.versopolis.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |title="Ich bin keine politische Aktivistin, ich habe Gedichte geschrieben, dafür gilt man im Iran als Verbrecherin." |url=https://www.pressreader.com/germany/frankfurter-allgemeine-quarterly/20240613/282595973057773 |website=Frankfurter Allgemeine Quarterly}}</ref>His works and the broader impact of postmodern ghazal on contemporary literature have been the subject of numerous academic articles and theses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=جستاری در غزل امروز، سید مهدی موسوی – سایه‌ها |url=https://sayeha.org/%d8%ac%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%b1%db%8c-%d8%af%d8%b1-%d8%ba%d8%b2%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%b2%d8%8c-%d8%b3%db%8c%d8%af-%d9%85%d9%87%d8%af%db%8c-%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b3%d9%88%db%8c/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-27 |title=شناسه‌های غزل پست‌مدرن – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی موسوی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/661/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

In recent years, the publication and distribution of his works have been banned in Iran, and his books have been removed from the market by state authorities. Nevertheless, his poetry continues to circulate through informal and underground channels, including book vendors, and maintains a wide readership. His online presence has also attracted a large audience, and his blog was recognized multiple times as one of the most popular blogs on PersianBlog.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT6JtkwhFuE |title=فیلم مستند شاعر تمام نشده : مهدی موسوی با کارگردانی فاطمه اختصاری |date=2025-10-05 |last=Mehdi Mousavi |access-date=2026-05-12 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

Mousavi has published more than twenty poetry collections, many of which have gone through multiple editions. His works have been translated into several languages, and he has participated in poetry readings and lectures in various countries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Text in Flight: Translation Across Borders - ICORN - International Cities of Refuge Network |url=https://www.icorn.org/stories/text-in-flight-translation-across-borders |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=www.icorn.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 - Mehdi Mousavi {{!}} Passa Porta |url=https://www.passaporta.be/en/in-residence/2024-21 |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=www.passaporta.be |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bttBsraXzY |title=شعرخوانی سید مهدی موسوی در پاریس فرانسه Mehdi Mousavi Paris France |date=2024-12-11 |last=Mehdi Mousavi |access-date=2026-05-12 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGqdy9H2Rtc |title=Prologue 3: Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Mousavi, poets |date=2018-03-24 |last=The First Supper Symposium |access-date=2026-05-12 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

=== Literary beginnings === Mehdi Mousavi began writing stories in early childhood and started composing poetry at the age of eleven. He has attributed his initial interest in poetry to his literature teacher, Shahram Foroughi, and described his first poem as a humorous ''mathnavi''. He has also cited poetical contest (Mushaira) as an early source of motivation for his writing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=پایان داستان خوب است {{!}} آسو |url=https://www.aasoo.org/index.php/fa/podcast/4431 |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=www.aasoo.org |language=fa}}</ref>

During middle school, Mousavi—then a high-achieving student at a gifted school in Karaj—gradually developed a stronger interest in literature and received several awards in provincial and national student competitions. Upon entering high school and becoming familiar with neo-classical poets such as Qeysar Aminpour, Hossein Monzavi, and Mohammad-Ali Bahmani, the style of his work began to change. He later described this period as a phase of “linguistic renewal and the formation of critical thinking.”<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=درباره من – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی موسوی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/%d8%af%d8%b1%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%87-%d9%85%d9%86-2/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-05-09 |title=دیدار - گفت و گو با مهدی موسوی شاعر پست مدرن ایران |url=https://rooz.hilnu.com/persian/news/newsitem/article/-673d5d8deb/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=آرشیو روزآنلاین |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

During this time, he also connected with other poets of his generation through national student competitions and literary festivals, and began publishing his works under pseudonyms in periodicals such as ''Kayhan-e Farhangi'', ''Javanan-e Emrooz'', and the newspaper ''Ettela'at''.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lthgNHF8jn8 |title=زورق ادبیات در آبهای دور برنامه بیستم: شادی سابجی گفت و گو با سید مهدی موسوی شاعر |date=2016-04-25 |last=Saeed Behbahani |access-date=2026-05-12 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

=== 1990s and the Emergence of Postmodern Ghazal === In the mid-1990s, Mehdi Mousavi’s participation in the Karaj Poetry Association and his acquaintance with Ali Karimi Kalayeh and Mohammadreza Haj-Rostambeglu led to the publication of a joint poetry collection by the three young poets in early 1998. The collection ''I Am Full of Stars, But…'', published by Shahriar Publishing, consisted largely of Mousavi’s neo-classical ghazals; however, due to its innovative language and the use of contemporary vocabulary such as “jazz“ or “diazepam,” it faced strong criticism from some traditionalist poets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mohammad Reza Haj-Rostambeglou |url=https://pen-deutschland.de/stipendien/mohammad-reza-haj-rostambeglou/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=PEN-ZENTRUM |language=de}}</ref>

During the same period, Mousavi became associated with the narrative ghazal movement, which at the time was referred to as ''formalistic ghazal''. However, his engagement with the language-centered poetics of Reza Baraheni, as well as his proximity to Baraheni’s students, along with his own critiques of narrative ghazal, led him to distance himself from that movement. He subsequently developed more radical works that incorporated linguistic experimentation and postmodern techniques within metrical and rhymed forms. These works attracted both strong support and criticism in contemporary literary circles.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=خدایگان، مصطفی. «سید مهدی موسوی: از من، فقط نام من، برای من مانده؛ مابقی در ادبیات حل شده است/ خلقت غزل پست‌مدرن ضرورت زمانه بود». تارنا. |journal=}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=فرشته‌ها خودکشی کردند، اثر سید مهدی موسوی – سایه‌ها |url=https://sayeha.org/%d9%81%d8%b1%d8%b4%d8%aa%d9%87%e2%80%8c%d9%87%d8%a7-%d8%ae%d9%88%d8%af%da%a9%d8%b4%db%8c-%da%a9%d8%b1%d8%af%d9%86%d8%af%d8%8c-%d8%a7%d8%ab%d8%b1-%d8%b3%db%8c%d8%af-%d9%85%d9%87%d8%af%db%8c-%d9%85/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=درباره من – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی موسوی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/%d8%af%d8%b1%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%87-%d9%85%d9%86-2/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

A selection of these poems was prepared for publication under the title ''The Angels Have Committed Suicide'' in 2000, but it was denied publication by Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. After two years of unsuccessful attempts to obtain permission, Mousavi published the book underground in 2002, accompanied by illustrations by Meysam Alipour. The book was distributed in Iran through Mousavi’s personal website (and later blog), titled “Postmodern Ghazal and...,” and received significant attention, reaching a second edition within a few months. In 2003, a free electronic version of the book was also made available on the literary website Maniha.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hamed.T |title=دکتر سید مهدی موسوی را بشناسیم |url=https://www.tribunezamaneh.com/archives/79322 |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=تریبون زمانه |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=IHRDC |date=2020-03-27 |title=شهادتنامه مهدی موسوی |url=https://iranhrdc.org/fa/%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%88%DB%8C/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=مرکز اسناد حقوق بشر ایران |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

The publication of this book is considered by many to mark the emergence of postmodern ghazal in Iran, and numerous academic articles and theses have examined its role in shaping poetry and lyrics in the 2000s.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=دانشگر |first=محمد |date=2025-03-23 |title=بررسی نقش و کارکرد ترامتنیت در مطالعات متون ادبی |journal=Journal of Social Sciences - Kabul University |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=191–212 |doi=10.62810/jss.v7i4.175 |issn=3078-557X|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=خوارزمی، حمیدرضا (۱۳۹۲). «خودکشی سنت در کتاب فرشته‌ها خودکشی کردند». ویژه‌نامه همایش: گردهمایی انجمن ترویج زبان و ادب فارسی ایران. |journal=}}</ref>

=== Online Presence and Literary Festivals === With the rise of Persian-language blogging, Mehdi Mousavi discontinued his website “Postmodern Ghazal and...” in 2002 and launched a blog under the same name, which quickly gained popularity and became one of the most widely read Persian-language blogs. The publication of uncensored poetry, growing interest among younger audiences in postmodern ghazal, and the blog’s role as a source for developments in contemporary literature contributed to its success. Mousavi was recognized in several editions of the PersianBlog awards as one of the most popular or best literary bloggers. However, the blog was repeatedly filtered or removed by judicial authorities, and media outlets affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps published criticism of it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=IHRDC |date=2020-03-27 |title=شهادتنامه مهدی موسوی |url=https://iranhrdc.org/fa/%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%88%DB%8C/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=مرکز اسناد حقوق بشر ایران |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

Mousavi’s move to Mashhad for further studies, along with his literary workshops in the city and the success of his students in literary festivals, contributed to his wider recognition. During the 2000s, he received first-place awards at a number of independent literary festivals. He also served as a judge or scientific secretary at various poetry and fiction festivals. His participation in festivals and public readings was at times accompanied by controversies, including protests regarding judging processes or pressure from conservative groups.<ref>{{Cite web |title=گریه روی شانه‌ی تخم مرغ، برگزیده‌ی جشنواره‌ی غزل پست‌مدرن – سایه‌ها |url=https://sayeha.org/%da%af%d8%b1%db%8c%d9%87-%d8%b1%d9%88%db%8c-%d8%b4%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%87%e2%80%8c%db%8c-%d8%aa%d8%ae%d9%85-%d9%85%d8%b1%d8%ba%d8%8c-%d8%a8%d8%b1%da%af%d8%b2%db%8c%d8%af%d9%87%e2%80%8c%db%8c-%d8%ac%d8%b4/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

His lectures and workshops in cities such as Shahroud, Kerman, Babolsar, Karaj, and Tehran attracted significant attention from younger audiences, while also drawing criticism from state-affiliated newspapers and news agencies. In addition, the publication of his essays on postmodern ghazal in literary journals contributed to the consolidation of his position as a theorist and critic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-02-24 |title=پرونده‌‌ی ماه: غزل پست مدرن - بخش یک |url=https://shahrgon.com/1390/5954/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=نشریه فرهنگی شهرگان |language=en-CA}}</ref>

=== Theorization of Postmodern Ghazal === Mehdi Mousavi published three influential essaysbetween 1999 and 2002 —''A Genealogy of Postmodern Ghazal''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-30 |title=تبارشناسی غزل پست‌مدرن-قسمت اول – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی موسوی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/912/ |access-date=2026-05-14 |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-30 |title=تبارشناسی غزل پست‌مدرن-قسمت دوم – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی موسوی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/922/ |access-date=2026-05-14 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>, ''Identifiers of Postmodern Ghazal''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-27 |title=شناسه‌های غزل پست‌مدرن – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی موسوی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/661/ |access-date=2026-05-14 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>, and ''An Essay on the Contemporary Ghazal''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-27 |title=جستاری در غزل امروز – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی موسوی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/656/ |access-date=2026-05-14 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>—which played a significant role in the development of postmodern ghazal and in drawing the attention of critics and academic circles to this movement.

In ''A Genealogy of Postmodern Ghazal'', he traces the roots of the movement in earlier Persian poetry, examining examples of postmodern techniques and ideas in works from the fourth century up to the Constitutional period. In ''Identifiers of Postmodern Ghazal'', he analyzes recurring features and techniques of these poems, providing examples and discussing the philosophical foundations of each. In ''An Essay on the Contemporary Ghazal'', he offers a critical overview of modern Persian ghazal from the 1960s to the 2000s, focusing on three main currents: neo-classical ghazal, narrative (formalistic) ghazal, and postmodern ghazal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=۸صبح |date=2018-02-27 |title=غزل پست مدرن چیست؟ - بخش اول |url=https://8am.media/fa/what-is-a-postmodern-ghazal-the-first-part/ |access-date=2026-05-14 |website=روزنامه ۸صبح |language=fa-AF}}</ref>

These essays have been widely cited in literary scholarship over the past two decades, and are regarded by some as a “three-part manifesto” of postmodern ghazal.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=رضوانیان، قدسیه؛ خلیلی، احمد (مهر ۱۳۹۳). «گفتمان‌شناسی شعر پست‌مدرن ایران». جامعه‌شناسی هنر و ادبیات. ۶ (۲): ۲۶۳–۲۸۵. |journal=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=رادیو زمانه {{!}} خارج از سیاست {{!}} گفت‌وگو {{!}} نه پرنده بود، نه کوچولو |url=https://zamaaneh.com/khaak/2010/10/print_post_115.html |access-date=2026-05-14 |website=zamaaneh.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=جدیری {{!}} |first=سپیده |date=2012-03-16 |title=پرونده‌ی ماه: غزل پست مدرن – بخش چهارم و پایانی |url=https://shahrgon.com/1390/6453/ |access-date=2026-05-14 |website=نشریه فرهنگی شهرگان |language=en-CA}}</ref>

=== Works of the 2000s === Following the refusal of publication permits for ''The Angels Have Committed Suicide'', a short story collection titled ''The Verticals'', and an anti-war poetry collection titled ''Addressed to Ostriches'', Mehdi Mousavi decided in 2004 to publish a selection of his romantic and narrative works, which had attracted less scrutiny, through Sokhan Gostar Publishing in Mashhad.<ref name=":0" />

The resulting collection, ''I Publish These Only Because of You'', was released at the 2005 Tehran International Book Fair and, due to its relatively simple and romantic tone, was quickly received by readers and reached a second edition. Critics noted the ironic nature of the title and praised the collection for its engagement with women’s voices, its reflection of social issues, and its innovative language.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59yr9C-JiC4 |title=ابراهیم نبوی و مهدی موسوی Ebrahim Nabavi and Mehdi Mousavi |date=2025-01-15 |last=Mehdi Mousavi |access-date=2026-05-14 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hamshahri Newspaper |url=https://images.hamshahrionline.ir/hamnews/1384/840421/world/_litew.htm |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212072128/https://images.hamshahrionline.ir/hamnews/1384/840421/world/_litew.htm |archive-date=2025-12-12 |access-date=2026-05-14 |website=images.hamshahrionline.ir}}</ref>

Following a change in government that same year and the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mehdi Mousavi was again placed under restrictions and was unable to publish any books until 2010. In May 2010, he published the 308-page poetry collection ''Little Bird, Neither a Bird Nor Little!'', which is regarded by some critics as one of his most significant works and a major contribution to postmodern ghazal. Although the book was published with extensive censorship, it attracted considerable attention upon its release at the Tehran International Book Fair, drawing large crowds. However, on the second day of the fair, the book—along with works by other postmodern ghazal poets including Fatemeh Ekhtesari, Elham Mizban, and Mohammad Hosseini-Moghaddam—was removed from the exhibition and later destroyed. The action was reportedly prompted by the insertion of previously censored words into the books by Mousavi and the other poets, as well as the distribution of an errata sheet indicating the censored sections. As a result, Sokhan Gostar Publishing had its activities suspended for one year on the grounds of allegedly circumventing censorship and publishing taboo-breaking works. In response, the four poets released uncensored electronic versions of their works online free of charge.<ref>{{Cite web |title=رادیو زمانه {{!}} خارج از سیاست {{!}} گفت‌وگو {{!}} نه پرنده بود، نه کوچولو |url=https://zamaaneh.com/khaak/2010/10/print_post_115.html |access-date=2026-05-14 |website=zamaaneh.com}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

The collection ''Little Bird, Neither a Bird Nor Little!'' has been the subject of numerous academic studies, and is regarded by some as a high point of postmodern ghazal, featuring notable examples of its style. Its philosophical approach, linguistic experimentation, psychological depth, polyphony, and the development of new poetic forms and structures have been widely discussed in critical literature.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=قلاوندی، زیبا؛ جوادی، اعظم (۱۳۹۶). «تحلیل کارکرد آوایی و نحوی واژگان در غزل پست‌مدرن دههٔ هشتاد». همایش ملی پژوهش‌های شعر معاصر فارسی. |journal=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=رادیو زمانه {{!}} خاک {{!}} گفت‌وگو {{!}} ایجاد تعادل بین ویژگی‌های زبانی و تصویری |url=https://zamaaneh.com/khaak/2010/10/post_116.html |access-date=2026-05-14 |website=zamaaneh.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Farsnews {{!}} «پرنده كوچولو؛ نه پرنده بود نه كوچولو» و «عمودي‌ها» منتشر مي‌شود |url=https://farsnews.ir/Culture/1140429013000584851 |access-date=2026-05-14 |website=Fars |language=fa}}</ref>

=== Postmodern Ghazal Festival === In 2007, Mousavi, who had previously organized literary festivals such as ''Goriz-e Ahovaneh'' and ''Shadows'', launched the nationwide Postmodern Ghazal Festival. At the closing ceremony, held in Tehran under the direction of Hamed Darab and Reza Sahraei, dozens of prominent poets associated with the movement performed readings. Selected works, chosen by Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mona Zendedel, were later published in an underground anthology titled ''Geryeh Ruye Shaneh-ye Tokhm-e Morgh'' (''lit.'' "Crying on the Shoulder of an Egg Tray", with the title playing on the dual meaning of the Persian word ''shaneh'', which can mean both "shoulder" and "egg tray"), featuring an introduction by Mohammad-Ali Bahmani.<ref>{{Cite web |title=گریه روی شانه‌ی تخم مرغ، برگزیده‌ی جشنواره‌ی غزل پست‌مدرن – سایه‌ها |url=http://sayeha.org/%DA%AF%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%B1%D9%88%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87%E2%80%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%AE%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%BA%D8%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B2%DB%8C%D8%AF%D9%87%E2%80%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D8%B4/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260305114245/http://sayeha.org/%DA%AF%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%B1%D9%88%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87%E2%80%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%AE%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%BA%D8%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B2%DB%8C%D8%AF%D9%87%E2%80%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D8%B4/ |archive-date=2026-03-05 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=sayeha.org |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=صحبت کوتاهی درباره ی کتاب «گریه روی شانه ی تخم مرغ» – فاطمه اختصاری |url=https://ekhtesari.com/essays-articles/%d8%b5%d8%ad%d8%a8%d8%aa-%da%a9%d9%88%d8%aa%d8%a7%d9%87%db%8c-%d8%af%d8%b1%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%87-%db%8c-%da%a9%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%a8-%da%af%d8%b1%db%8c%d9%87-%d8%b1%d9%88%db%8c-%d8%b4%d8%a7%d9%86/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

The event was designed as a performance-based program and included several unconventional and satirical elements that challenged conventional cultural formats, such as the playing of a children's song instead of the national anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the participation of thirteen presenters, the presence of performers acting as traditional ceremonial guards carrying wooden staffs to maintain order, the serving of bread, cheese, herbs, and walnuts to guests, and the simultaneous performance of a poem in three different languages. Several hours before the festival was scheduled to begin, security authorities reportedly shut down the original venue in an attempt to prevent the event from taking place. In response, the organizers quickly rented a residential house commonly used for celebrations and relocated the participating poets, many of whom had traveled to Tehran from different parts of the country. The festival has been described by critics as one of the most significant independent literary festivals of the 2000s in Iran.<ref>{{Cite web |title=درباره من – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی موسوی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/%d8%af%d8%b1%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%87-%d9%85%d9%86-2/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=IHRDC |date=2020-03-27 |title=شهادتنامه مهدی موسوی |url=https://iranhrdc.org/fa/%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%88%DB%8C/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=مرکز اسناد حقوق بشر ایران |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQG7N3jlcUQ |title=ابراهیم نبوی و مهدی موسوی |date=2025-01-19 |last=Nabavi Media |access-date=2026-05-26 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

=== Works of the 2010s, before leaving Iran === Following the withdrawal of ''Parandeh Kuchulu, Na Parandeh Bud! Na Kuchulu!'' ("Little Bird, It Was Neither a Bird nor Little!"), several other books by Mousavi, including ''Naghahan'' ("Suddenly") and ''Honking for Sheep'', were also denied publication permits. In 2011, Fatemeh Ekhtesari compiled Mousavi's blog posts on poetic meter and published them as an electronic book titled ''Introductory Prosody in Simple Language.'' The short volume was a condensed version of Mousavi's larger instructional work on prosody and rhyme, ''Prosody in Three Days''. After his arrest in 2013, the draft manuscript of that book, along with several other unpublished works, was reportedly confiscated and destroyed by the intelligence organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT6JtkwhFuE |title=فیلم مستند شاعر تمام نشده : مهدی موسوی با کارگردانی فاطمه اختصاری |date=2025-10-05 |last=Mehdi Mousavi |access-date=2026-05-26 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-05 |title=آموزش مقدماتی وزن به زبان ساده – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی مو��وی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/tag/%D8%A2%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B4-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

The free online publication of ''Introductory Prosody in Simple Language'' gained considerable circulation on social media, and a number of instructors of Persian prosody described it as a simpler and more practical alternative to the instructional works of Sirus Shamisa. During the same year, Mousavi also released two underground audio collections of poetry recitations, ''Dance in Dust'' and ''Dance in Mud''. His performance style, which emphasized vocal experimentation and the disruption of conventional aesthetics and traditional recitation techniques, attracted discussion and critical attention when combined with his rebellious poetry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=آموزش مقدماتی وزن به زبان ساده، از سید مهدی موسوی – سایه‌ها |url=http://sayeha.org/%D8%A2%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B4-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260218065024/http://sayeha.org/%D8%A2%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B4-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%85/ |archive-date=2026-02-18 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=sayeha.org |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.isna.ir/xdysmx |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=www.isna.ir}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT6JtkwhFuE |title=فیلم مستند شاعر تمام نشده : مهدی موسوی با کارگردانی فاطمه اختصاری |date=2025-10-05 |last=Mehdi Mousavi |access-date=2026-05-26 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

in 2012, seeking to circumvent censorship restrictions, Mousavi published a collection of his ruba'i (quatrains) alongside photographs by Mohammad-Sadegh Yarhamidi under the title ''The Man Who Hasn’t Left Returns'', presented as a photographic collection. The work quickly went through additional printings and became difficult to obtain on the market. Critics praised both his command of the ''ruba'i'' form and his innovative approach to the traditional poetic structure.<ref>{{Cite news |title=«نورالدین...»، «قیدار» و «آفتاب در حجاب» در جمع پرفروش‌ترین‌ها - تسنیم |url=https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1392/01/15/37824/%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%82%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%88-%D8%A2%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AD%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9-%D9%BE%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B4-%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%A7 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212152022/https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1392/01/15/37824/%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%82%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%88-%D8%A2%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AD%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9-%D9%BE%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B4-%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%A7 |archive-date=2025-12-12 |access-date=2026-05-26 |work=خبرگزاری تسنیم {{!}} Tasnim |language=fa}}</ref> In the same year, Mousavi was able to publish his anti-war collection, originally titled ''Addressing Ostriches'', after renaming it ''Even the House Number'' and removing more than ten poems. The collection reached a second printing within the first days of its release at the Tehran Book Fair. Critics praised the work for its focus on the consequences of war, particularly its impact on the post-war generation. However, some news agencies affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps criticized the book, describing it as a negative portrayal of the Iran–Iraq War and questioning the government's decision to grant it publication approval.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-10-16 |title=حتی پلاک خانه را |url=https://www.tebyan.net/news/225344/%D8%AD%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D9%BE%D9%84%D8%A7%DA%A9-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%B1%D8%A7 |access-date=2026-05-26 |language=fa}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WebCite query result |url=http://khouzestan.isna.ir/Default.aspx?NSID=5 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/687LrHGdP?url=http://khouzestan.isna.ir/Default.aspx?NSID=5 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-06-02 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=www.webcitation.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=«مردی که نرفته‌ است برمی‌گردد»، مجموعه رباعی‌های سید مهدی موسوی به روایت عکس‌های محمد��ادق یارحمیدی – سایه‌ها |url=http://sayeha.org/ap3951/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260310214208/http://sayeha.org/ap3951/ |archive-date=2026-03-10 |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=sayeha.org |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.isna.ir/news/Khorasan-Razavi-54892/%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D9%83%D9%87-%D9%86%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%8A-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%AF-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%AF-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D8%AF |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=www.isna.ir}}</ref>

In early 2013, Mousavi published a selection of his uncensored poems in Paris under the title ''Ghazash Bademjan Ast'' (It's food is ''Eggplant''). He also published a selection of his earlier works in Iran under the title ''Drowning in the Aquarium'', which appeared with approximately 200 pages removed due to censorship. Although media outlets affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps criticized the book and Mousavi was prevented from attending the Tehran International Book Fair, the volume reached its third printing during the fair. Despite receiving positive critical attention for its technical and thematic qualities, the collection was also criticized because of the extensive censorship and omissions in the published edition.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrplIovTAtw |title=زخم هایی که شعر می‌شوند از زبان سید مهدی موسوی |date=2024-08-16 |last=انتشارات ناکجا |access-date=2026-05-31 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=نگاهی به مجموعه‌ی «غرق شدن در آکواریوم» – فاطمه اختصاری |url=https://ekhtesari.com/essays-articles/%d9%86%da%af%d8%a7%d9%87%db%8c-%d8%a8%d9%87-%d9%85%d8%ac%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b9%d9%87%db%8c-%d8%ba%d8%b1%d9%82-%d8%b4%d8%af%d9%86-%d8%af%d8%b1-%d8%a2%da%a9%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b1%db%8c%d9%88/ |access-date=2026-05-31 |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ekhtesari |first=Fatemeh |title=Everything you always wanted to know about Mehdi Mousavi but were afraid to ask! |journal=اختصاری، فاطمه. «همه آنچه می‌خواستید دربارهٔ مهدی موسوی بدانید، اما می‌ترسیدید بپرسید!». ادبیات مستقل ایران |volume=(۱): ۱۳.}}</ref>

While pressure on Mousavi was increasing and he was serving a prison sentence, two additional poetry collections by him—''With the Mice'' and ''After the Rain, Before Exile''—were published. The books were met with strong criticism from Iran's state broadcaster (IRIB), the Basij Student Organization, and newspapers affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Some commentators argued that the publication permits granted to the works of an imprisoned poet reflected political tensions between the government and the IRGC. Despite having been released on bail, Mousavi was barred by security authorities from attending the Tehran International Book Fair. On the second day of the fair, the Fars News Agency published a report falsely claiming that ''After the Rain, Before Exile'' was a collection of poems by Shahin Najafi. Although the claim was denied by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and by officials of the book fair, following the closure of Nasira Publishing, Mousavi's book was also withdrawn from circulation and pulped.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-23 |title=بابک اباذری، مدیر انتشارات نصیرا در دریا غرق شد |url=https://www.radiozamaneh.com/201171/ |access-date=2026-05-31 |website=www.radiozamaneh.com |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=http://basirat.ir/fa/news/286678}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=mashreghnews |url=https://www.mashreghnews.ir/news/526512/%DA%86%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B4-%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%B2-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

Mousavi's last poetry collection published in Iran was ''The Extinction of the Iranian Leopard Through the Excessive Growth of the Sheep Population'', released in the winter of 2014. The book was well received by readers and reached its third printing within its first week of publication. Its appearance at the 2015 Tehran International Book Fair prompted criticism from media outlets affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which, in reports similar to those directed at his earlier books, accused it of containing "sexual content, insults to religious sanctities, homosexuality, insults to the Islamic Revolution, mockery of security forces, and propaganda against the system." The collection consisted of new poems written by Mousavi on a daily basis between Nowruz and the autumn of 2014. According to Mousavi, he began writing the book after learning that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had destroyed all of his handwritten poems, laptop, hard drives, and other copies of his work, resulting in the permanent loss of his unpublished writings. He later described the writing of those poems and the publication of ''The Extinction of the Iranian Leopard Through the Excessive Growth of the Sheep Population'' as an act of resistance against those who fear art and literature. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-17 |title=تازه های نشر نیماژ؛ از «عریضه‌نویسی‌های خیابان خیام» تا «خون به پا خواهد شد» |url=https://www.ibna.ir/news/215699/%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D9%86%DB%8C%D9%85%D8%A7%DA%98-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B9%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%B6%D9%87-%D9%86%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AA%D8%A7-%D8%AE%D9%88%D9%86 |access-date=2026-05-31 |website=ایبنا |language=fa}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-05 |title=«انقراض پلنگ ایرانی با افزایش بی‌رویه گوسفندان» در یک هفته به چاپ سوم رسید |url=https://www.ibna.ir/news/214977/%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6-%D9%BE%D9%84%D9%86%DA%AF-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B2%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4-%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D9%88%DB%8C%D9%87-%DA%AF%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%81%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%87%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%87 |access-date=2026-05-31 |website=ایبنا |language=fa}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-12-31 |title=تجدید چاپ عناوین جدید «پازل شعر امروز»/ استقبال از اشعار سعید میرزایی |url=https://www.mehrnews.com/news/2453050/%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF-%DA%86%D8%A7%D9%BE-%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%AC%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%84-%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%B9%DB%8C%D8%AF |access-date=2026-05-31 |website=خبرگزاری مهر {{!}} اخبار ایران و جهان {{!}} Mehr News Agency |language=fa}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

== Creative Writing Workshops == Many literary critics consider Mehdi Mousavi’s workshops to be among the most significant creative writing workshops in Iran<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Last Kiss - Poetry Collection |url=https://thelastkiss.online/mehdi-mousavi |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=thelastkiss.online |language=en}}</ref>, placing them alongside those led by Reza Baraheni and Houshang Golshiri. These sessions began in 1999 as underground and free gatherings and continued in virtual form after Mousavi’s migration. A number of prominent Iranian and Afghan poets and writers in the 2000s and 2010s participated in these workshops. From the outset, the Islamic Republic opposed these literary sessions, repeatedly shutting them down or criticizing them through state media and newspapers. The organization of these workshops has been cited as one of the reasons for Mousavi’s arrests in 2010 and 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inquire: Journal of Comparative Literature |url=https://inquire.streetmag.org/articles/81 |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=inquire.streetmag.org}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news |title=Over Falafel in Tel Aviv, an Exiled Iranian Poet Talks of Life After Torture |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-06-30/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/over-falafel-in-tel-aviv-an-exiled-iranian-poet-talks-of-life-after-torture/00000189-08f0-dc81-a9db-59fa932f0000 |work=HAARETZ}}</ref>

Although Mousavi had begun his teaching activities in 1997 in Karaj, he systematized his weekly creative writing workshops in Mashhad from autumn 1999 onward. In these workshops, he developed an indirect and interactive teaching method that differed from the dominant pedagogical approaches of the time. Rather than focusing on direct critique of poems and stories, he emphasized cultivating reading and analytical skills. Due to pressure from security institutions, he frequently changed the locations of his sessions and was at times forced to suspend them temporarily.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSJCddmZqY4 |title=in residence: mehdi mousavi |date=2024-11-20 |last=passaportaBRXL |access-date=2026-05-12 |via=YouTube}}</ref> These workshops continued until 2007 and contributed to a transformation in the literary scene of Khorasan. After Mousavi left Mashhad, many of his students began organizing similar workshops in the city, although a number of them were later shut down under pressure from security authorities. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Mehdi Mousavi and Fatemeh Ekhtesari in Lillehammer – فاطمه اختصاری |url=https://ekhtesari.com/interview-report/mehdi-mousavi-and-fatemeh-ekhtesari-in-lillehammer/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Beletrina |first=Production |title=Fatemeh Ekhtesari {{!}} Versopolis Poetry |url=https://www.versopolis.com/poet/435/fatemeh-ekhtesari |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=www.versopolis.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Mousavi continued his literary workshops in Karaj and Tehran from 2007 to 2013. In the final two years, media outlets affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as state broadcasting, repeatedly published materials against these sessions, ultimately leading to their closure following Mousavi’s arrest. During this period, he held workshops in his own home, in the homes of participants, and in cafés. Prior to his arrest, he also conducted several poetry and songwriting workshops at the “Panjereh-ye Hekmat” Institute.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 - Mehdi Mousavi {{!}} Passa Porta |url=https://www.passaporta.be/en/in-residence/2024-21 |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=www.passaporta.be |language=en}}</ref>

After leaving Iran in 2015, Mousavi continued to organize his free workshops online in collaboration with institutions such as Tavaana. At the end of each course, he publishes a collection of poems, short stories, and song lyrics by participants in book form. These courses, known as “Hamsāyeh” (“Neighbor”), have been well received by audiences.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tavaanaa |url=https://tavaana.org/hams3/}}</ref> However, Mousavi has stated that neither the online sessions are cnot comparable to his literary gatherings in Iran, emphasizing that the outcomes he seeks depend on sustained, long-term interactive sessions.

== Arrest == On December 6, 2013, Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Moosavi had planned to travel to Turkey for a literary workshop, but they were stopped at the airport. They were told they were under a travel ban, and their passports were confiscated. A few hours later they disappeared and did not appear again until December 24, 2014, when it was known they were in Section 2A of Evin Prison. Torture and other abuse of prisoners is common in the prison, which is controlled by the Intelligence Division of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps. On January 14, 2014, Ekhtesari and Mousavi were released on bail. Their lawyer said Moosavi was sentenced to six years in prison for "insulting the holy sanctities", three years for "storing tear gas", and 99 lashes for "illicit relations".<ref name="englishpen.org" /> The amount of the bail was 200 million tomans, or about 60,000 USD.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rpersianwikileaks.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/%d9%85%d8%ad%d8%a7%da%a9%d9%85%d9%87-%d9%81%d8%a7%d8%b7%d9%85%d9%87-%d8%a7%d8%ae%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%a7%d8%b1%db%8c-%d9%88-%d9%85%d9%87%d8%af%db%8c-%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b3%d9%88%db%8c-%d8%af%d8%b1-%d8%af%d8%a7/|title=محاکمه فاطمه اختصاری و مهدی موسوی در دادگاه انقلاب|last=rpersianwikileaks|date=3 December 2014|publisher=}}</ref>

== Life in exile == Since leaving Iran, Mousavi has continued his literary activities, participating in international poetry festivals and publishing his works online. He has become an outspoken advocate for freedom of expression and the rights of persecuted writers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Culture |first=ACCR-Heritage Sites for |title=Mehdi Mousavi - Residents |url=https://www.accr-europe.org/en/residencies/residents/mehdi-mousavi |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=ACCR - Heritage Sites for Culture}}</ref>

== Legacy == Mousavi's influence on Persian poetry is profound, with many young poets adopting the postmodern ghazal style. His works have been translated into multiple languages, and his lyrics have been performed by renowned Iranian musicians such as Shahin Najafi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 - {{!}} Passa Porta |url=https://www.passaporta.be/en/in-residence/2024-21 |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=www.passaporta.be |language=en}}</ref>

== Work == Several of his poems were banned in Iran due to their critical nature, forcing them to circulate underground. The authorities refused publication of two of his collections, "Suddenly" and "Beeping for the Sheep". Some of Mousavi's lyrics have been performed by Shahin Najafi, an Iranian singer in exile.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gladstone |first=Rick |title=Petition Urges Ayatollah to Pardon Condemned Iranian Poets |website=The New York Times |date=November 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/02/world/middleeast/petition-urges-ayatollah-to-pardon-condemned-iranian-poets.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dehghan |first=Saeed Kamali |date=2015-11-04 |title=Poets lobby Iran to pardon pair convicted of insulting religion |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/04/poets-lobby-iran-to-pardon-pair-convicted-of-insulting-religion |access-date=2024-11-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

== Contribution to literature == Mousavi is best known as the founder of the "Postmodern Ghazal," a literary movement that challenged traditional Persian poetic forms by introducing modern themes, irony, and free expression. His works often critique societal norms and address taboo subjects, such as love, identity, and social justice.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDRlvrPTrHs |title=مصاحبه سید مهدی موسوی با رادیو راه ابریشم - بخش افغانستان - پیرامون غزل پست مدرن |date=2017-08-30 |last=Mehdi Mousavi |access-date=2026-05-26 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

=== Poetry Collections === * ''I Am Full of Stars, But…, Shahriar Publishing, 1997 (with two other poets) — Persian'' * ''The Angels Have Committed Suicide, 2002 — Persian'' * ''I Publish These Only Because of You, Sokhan Gostar Publishing, 2005 — Persian'' * ''Little Bird, Neither a Bird Nor Little!, Sokhan Gostar Publishing, 2010 — Persian'' * ''Even the House Number, Fasl-e Panjom Publishing, 2012 — Persian'' * ''The Man Who Hasn’t Left Returns, Shemshad Publishing, 2012 (with photographs by Mohammad Sadegh Yarhamidi) — Persian'' * ''It's Food is Eggplant, Paris: Nakoja Publishing, 2013 — Persian''<ref>{{Cite web |title=غذاش بادمجان است |url=https://www.naakojaaketab.com/product-page/%D8%BA%D8%B0%D8%A7%D8%B4-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=naakojaa |language=en}}</ref> * ''Drowning in an Aquarium, Nimaj Publishing, 2013 — Persian'' * ''With the Mice, Nimaj Publishing, 2013 — Persian'' * ''After the Rain, Before Exile, Nasira Publishing, 2014 — Persian'' * ''The Extinction of the Iranian Leopard Due to the Excessive Increase of Sheep, Nimaj Publishing, 2014 — Persian'' * ''Goofing around in Front of the Firing Squad, Amazon Publishing, 2018 — Persian''<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Mousavi |first1=Seyyed Mehdi |title= Goofing Around in Front of a Firing Squad: DalghakBazi Joloye Jukheye Edam|date=18 May 2018 |publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |isbn=978-1717388339 }}</ref> * ''In the Samurai way, Lulu Publishing, 2019 — Persian''<ref>{{Cite book |title=Be Raveshe Samurai |date=2 July 2019 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-0359766994 |last=Mousavi |first=Seyed Mehdi |url= |language=Persian |id={{ASIN|0359766994|country=ae}}}}</ref> * ''The Blood-soaked Liberty Square, Tel Aviv: Ktav Academic Publishing, 2021 — Hebrew / Persian''<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://cris.haifa.ac.il/en/publications/%D7%9B%D7%9B%D7%A8-%D7%94%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A2%D7%A7%D7%91%D7%94-%D7%9E%D7%93%D7%9D-%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A0%D7%91%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/ |title=ככר החרות עקבה מדם: שירים נבחרים |date=2021 |publisher=כתב ווב הוצאה לאור |isbn=978-965-7506-90-5 |location=תל-אביב}}</ref> * ''In Praise of Disappointment, Lulu Publishing, 2023 — Persian'' * ''The Last Kiss, Norway: SIC Publishing, 2026 — English / Persian <ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-26 |title=The Last Kiss Poetry Collection |url=https://sicpublish.no/projects/last-kiss-poetry-collection/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=Sic Publishing |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-01 |title=Mehdi Mousavi |url=https://www.neimenster.lu/en/events/mehdi-mousavi/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=neimënster |language=en-GB}}</ref>''

=== Fiction ===

* ''Eight Stories, Sayeh-ha Publishing, 2018 — Persian'' * ''Conversation in Tehran, Amazon Publishing, 2017 — Persian'' * ''One Thousand and Some Nights, Lulu Publishing, 2021 — Persian''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-16 |title=هزار و چند شب – وبسایت شخصی سید مهدی موسوی |url=http://mehdimousavi.net/1411/ |access-date=2026-05-08 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

=== Theory / Criticism ===

* ''Introductory Prosody in Simple Language, Electronic edition, 2011 — Persian''

=== Anthologies ===

* ''Å kysse en ørken, å kysse en myr (Kissing a Desert, Kissing a Swamp), Aschehoug Publishing, 2019 (with several other poets) — Norwegian'' <ref>{{Cite web |title=Å kysse en ørken, å kysse en myr |url=https://aschehoug.no/a-kysse-en-orken-a-kysse-en-myr |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=aschehoug.no |language=nb}}</ref> * ''Disturbing Private Minds, Sayeh-ha Publishing, 2019 (with several other writers) — Persian'' * ''Kontinentaldrift: Das Persische Europa (Continental Drift: Persian Europe), Wunderhorn Publishing, 2020 (with several other poets) — German / Persian''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Das Persische Europa – Verlag Das Wunderhorn |url=https://www.wunderhorn.de/?buecher=kontinentaldrift-2 |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=www.wunderhorn.de}}</ref> * ''The Multilingual Mosaic, Sayeh-ha Publishing, 2024 — Multilingual'' <ref>{{Cite web |title=«The Multilingual Mosaic»، مجموعه‌ای از آثار ترجمه‌شده‌ی «سید مهدی موسوی» – سایه‌ها |url=https://sayeha.org/ap4350/ |access-date=2026-05-08 |language=fa-IR}}</ref>

== See also == *Fatemeh Ekhtesari *Postmodern Ghazal

== References == {{Reflist|33em}}

== External links == * [http://inquire.streetmag.org/articles/81 Four Poems by Mehdi Mousavi]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mousavi, Mehdi}} Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Iranian emigrants to Norway Category:Poets from Tehran