known as “Sir Alfred”, the Iranian political refugee had taken up residence in Roissy, north of Paris, in November 1988, after a long journey in search of his mother.
Le Monde with AFP
Mehran Karimi Nasseri, Iranian political refugee, who lived more than eighteen at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport and whose life inspired a film by Steven Spielberg, died on Saturday November 12 . An airport source told the France-Presse agency that he had died from natural death shortly before noon at Terminal 2F.
The singular story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri had inspired the director Steven Spielberg for his film Le Terminal. Born in 1945 in Masjed Soleiman, in the Iranian province of Khouzistan, the refugee, known as “Sir Alfred”, had taken up residence in Roissy, north of Paris, in November 1988, after a long journey – of his mother-who had led him to London, to Berlin or Amsterdam.
Each time, he had been expelled by the authorities, failing to present papers. In 1999, he obtained refugee status in France and a residence permit.
In Roissy, he had become a familiar with airport staff and an emblematic figure, being the subject of numerous reports of television and radios, French and foreign, before the cinematographic consecration.
In 2004, Tom Hanks interpreted his role in the terminal, directed by Steven Spielberg. After the film, he would have lived in a home in Paris. After spending the money received for the film, Mehran Karimi Nasseri had returned to the airport for a few weeks, added an airport source. Several thousand euros were found on him.