Fani had been in declining health in recent months and was transferred from a senior care facility in Karaj to Tehran for medical treatment, according to officials familiar with the matter.
Born on April 14,1944, in Qazvin, Fani held a master’s degree in library science and emerged as one of Iran’s most authoritative figures in bibliography and cataloging. He joined the National Library of Iran as a faculty member and later headed its Iranology department. In 2003, he was elected a permanent member of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature.
Though not a public intellectual in the conventional sense, Fani’s influence was deeply embedded in Iran’s academic and cultural institutions. He played a central role in developing standardized Persian systems for knowledge organization, authoring foundational reference works including Persian Subject Headings, Classification of Iranian History, Classification of Islamic Philosophy and A Thematic Dictionary of the Qur’an. The volumes remain essential tools for librarians, researchers and students.
Fani also contributed extensively to major collective projects, including the Encyclopaedia of Shi‘ism and the Encyclopaedia for Children and Young Adults, serving as both editor and contributor. Colleagues said his work reflected a sustained commitment to widening public access to knowledge.
As a translator, Fani introduced Persian readers to a wide range of international writers and thinkers, including Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Anton Chekhov, Günter Grass, Karel Čapek and John Desmond Bernal. His translations were noted for their precision and intellectual rigor, prioritizing accuracy over stylistic flourish.