Director: Hadi Mohaghegh
Cast: Hambdollah Azizi, Mohammad Azarakhsh, Hossein Ghezelbash, Mahyar Abrouan
Iro is a 2018 Iranian drama film directed by Hadi Mohaghegh, set against the rugged mountain landscapes of Iran. It follows an elderly father who carries an unbearable burden alone — the execution of his son Sohrab — and must find the strength to continue across harsh terrain while caring for a young grandson.
What is Iro about?
An aging man lives in remote mountain isolation when news arrives that his son Sohrab has been condemned to death. Despite every effort he makes — appeals, pleading, desperate attempts at intervention — the execution cannot be stopped. When Sohrab is put to death, the father retrieves the body and undertakes a solitary, grueling passage through the mountains and rivers, performing a kind of cleansing ritual for his son. All the while, he bears responsibility for his grandson, the child left behind. The film traces this double weight: grief carried on an old man's shoulders and the quiet duty of keeping the next generation alive.
Cast & crew
Director Hadi Mohaghegh guides a sparse ensemble anchored by Hambdollah Azizi in the central role of the grieving father — a physically and emotionally demanding performance requiring presence more than dialogue. Mohammad Azarakhsh, Hossein Ghezelbash, and Mahyar Abrouan round out the cast in the mountain village setting, each contributing to the film's austere, wordless texture.
Context & significance
Iranian cinema has a long tradition of contemplative films set in rural landscapes — works where nature itself becomes a moral or spiritual force. Iro fits within this lineage, echoing the quiet humanism of directors who treat ordinary people facing extraordinary loss with unflinching dignity. For diaspora audiences who grew up watching the social-realist strand of Iranian film — where a father's back, a river crossing, or a mountain path carries more weight than any spoken line — Iro offers a deeply recognizable emotional register. It is a film about what parents carry, about grief without resolution, and about the stubborn persistence of family duty even after the worst has happened.
Where & how to watch
Iro is available on K-Time in its original Persian audio. You can stream it on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, and no extra download required. Start watching anytime and cancel anytime.