Mehran Karimi Nasseri, known as "Sir Alfred," was an Iranian refugee who lived in Terminal 1 of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris from 1988 to 2006. His prolonged stay was due to complex bureaucratic and legal issues. Born in 1945, Nasseri lost his Iranian citizenship after taking part in protests against Iran's Shah, and Europe was cautious about granting him asylum permanently. He eventually received refugee status in Belgium, but he lost the papers, leaving him stranded in Paris. France could not deport him due to his lack of official documentation, and he couldn't board flights either, making the airport his home.
In 1999, when Belgium finally reissued his refugee documents, Nasseri reportedly distrusted the paperwork, considering it fake, and chose to remain in the airport. He became a fixture there, sleeping on benches, washing in staff facilities, and gaining a following among airport staff and travelers. In 2004, his story inspired the film "The Terminal", which starred Tom Hanks as a character based on Nasseri's experience. He left the airport only in 2006 when he required hospitalization and later lived in a Paris shelter.
Nasseri passed away from a heart attack on November 12, 2022, in the same airport. Following his death, he was reportedly buried in France.
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| Mehran Karimi Nasseri |