Mehr Theatre Group was created in 1996. The aim was to create a new type of theater — far from the traditional Iranian theater — based on new stage direction and a new acting style influenced by film. At first, Amir Reza Koohestani joined the Mehr Theatre Group to participate in their acting workshop, but after 6 months of the workshop they decided to produce theater productions based on their training. Since Amir was the only one with writing background he dedicated his time to write for the theater. In 1999, Koohestani’s new play, The Murmuring Tales, won several awards in the International Fadjr Festival in Tehran, which was a turning point for the company to present their works in the main theater festivals of Iran. At the age of 23, Amir wrote and staged Dance on Glasses in Shiraz (Iran), his birth city. This very personal play was an attempt to get away from the pain after breaking up with his girlfriend.

What he did not expect was to attract the attention of several theater curators who saw the work. The play went on tour for four years around the world, and thanks to the international tours, his following plays and tours were produced by international theater festivals such as the Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels), the Wiener Festwochen (Vienna), the Holland Festival, and the Theaterformen Festival in Germany.

In 2005, he started his collaboration with a French production office based in Paris (and met Pierre Reis) which carried his international tours (2005-2008). In 2008, the Mehr Theatre Group became a French based association dealing with the major part of international tours of Koohestani’s productions. In 2013, the Mehr Theatre Group produced Mahin Sadri’s new play, Belayer, to open a new window for other members of the company to develop the aesthetic of Mehr Theatre Group.

The Mehr Theatre Group is one the most well know Iranian theater companies in Iran and has gained international acclaim with successful performances across the world. The company has won awards for Best Theater Company in Iran (2010), First Best Theater Production in Iran for Ivanov (2011), First Best Theater Production in Iran for The Fourth Wall (2012), Second Best Theater Production in Iran for Timeloss (2013).