TEHRAN -- Iranian scholar and the first translator of Quran into French, Mohammad Mehdi Fuladvand, died on August 5. He was 88.

Losing his ability to talk and his memory after a stroke two years ago, he had led a sedentary lifestyle.
Born in 1920 in the Iranian central city of Arak, he earned his Ph.D at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He studied literature, art, philosophy and Arabic linguistics during his 14 years at the university. His doctoral thesis was on Omar Khayyam.
He returned to Iran in 1965 and started his career as a university professor. He taught at several Iranian universities including the Fine Art Faculty of the University of Tehran and the Academy of Dramatic Arts. He taught philosophy, aesthetics, French language and literature, and history of religions.
He has translated Nahj-ul Balagheh and Sahifeh Sajjadieh into Persian and his translation of the Quran is known as one of the best Persian versions of the holy book.
He had also translated Gustave Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary” into Persian.
“Studying Quran,” “Studying Khayyam,” “First Lessons on Aesthetics,” “Woman in God’s View,” “I saw God” and “Flowers from Quran” are amongst his books.
His translation of the Rubayat of Omar Khayyam 40 years ago was recognized by General Charles de Gaulle, who called him another Mallarmé (a 19th century celebrated French poet.)
The funeral procession set off from the Iran Quran News Agency on Bozorgmehr Ave. and progressed to the University of Tehran on Wednesday morning.
He was buried in Ebn-e Babuyeh Cemetery in town of Ray near Tehran.
Many Iranian cultural figures, literati and luminaries as well as athletes are buried there. Among them are Gholamreza Takhti, Ali Akbar Dehkhoda, Hossein Fatemi, Mir Qotbeddin Mohammad Anqa and Forugh Farrokhzad.