TEHRAN -- Germany-based Iranian director Alireza Kushk Jalali is to stage “Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran” written by French playwright Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt at the Chaharsu Hall of Tehran’s City Theater on June 22.

“One of my students gave me the book as a birthday present in 2003 in Germany. I remember I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. I immediately decided to write a play based on the story and to put on performances,” he told the Mehr News Agency on Sunday.

“Schmitt is one of the most prominent authors and philosophers in Europe. His works are staged all over the world,” he added.

Kushk Jalali has already staged the play in Germany. “I have been living in Germany for 23 years. Whenever I miss Farsi, I come to Iran to stage a play.”

In his opinion, a good actor and play are the only factors behind a successful performance of a play and other elements are irrelevant. “The actor is the backbone of a play and should run the stage through his performing abilities.”

He believes a good play should be simple and free of exaggeration.

Kushk Jalali explained that he always tries to eliminate additional elements and cut to the chase as soon as possible in a play.

He said that “Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran” conveys the message of friendship and peace among religions.

The play revolves around Momo, a young man who lives alone with his father.

Still smarting over the separation from his wife and other son, Momo's dad neglects his son in ways both minor and major, to the point where the teen spends most of his time out of school alone and isolated.

He finds an unlikely ally in Monsieur Ibrahim, a Muslim shopkeeper who spends most of his days behind the counter of his store reading the Holy Quran.

As time passes, Momo and Ibrahim begin to bring each other out of his respective shell, sharing a series of everyday adventures, culminating in Momo's indoctrination into Ibrahim's faith.