TEHRAN -- Veteran actress Hamideh Kheirabadi, also known as Nadereh, died at her home late on Monday. She was 86.

Kheirabadi was born in 1924 in Rasht. She began her artistic career in theater when she was 23 and played her first role in the movie “Patriot” in 1953.
Kheirabadi appeared in several TV series including “Patriarch”, “Sweet and Sour”, “Green Home”, “Godfather” and 150 movies such as “The Bald Hassan” and “Mother” by Ali Hatami, “The Lady” and “The Tenants” by Dariush Mehrjuii, “The Actor” by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, and “Children of Divorce” by Tahmineh Milani.
She was inactive in recent years but her role as a kind-hearted mother played in numerous movies by prominent filmmakers will always be remembered. Kheirabadi was the mother of actress Sorayya Qasemi.
Actor Behzad Farahani expressed his sorrow over hearing about the death of the actress and said, “She was grand lady and an experienced actress able to portray complex characters quite well.
“She acted with the great masters of her time and gained lots of experience. Her memory is always with us. Among her other good characteristics was her smile, one could see all the spring her smile,” he remarked.
Actor Mohammad-Ali Keshavarz who had played in several works with late Kheirabadi regretted the great loss and said, “She was an understanding and knowledgeable lady the likes of which can hardly be found.”
She was an actress who cannot be replaced. She worked for years for the art and culture of this land, he remarked, adding that, “the last time I saw her was on my birthday, April 15. She came to visit me for my birthday.”
Kheirabadi was buried on Tuesday. She had asked to be buried next to her other family members at Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery.
Photo: Hamideh Kheirabadi expresses her thanks to the audience during the Second Iranian Screen Actors Celebration at Tehran’s Arike-ye Iranian Hall on January 5, 2008. She was honored with a lifetime achievement award during the celebration. (Fars/Hossein Salmanzadeh)