(1944–2015), an Iranian historian, archaeologist, specialist in Iranian art, architecture, cultural heritage, and the history of the Iranian plateau and Central Asia. He was a specialist in the history, archaeology, and visual culture of Iran, with particular expertise in Safavid history, Islamic art, Persian manuscripts, photography, and the preservation of historical monuments. He served as an Emeritus Senior Researcher at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France. His research and professional activities also included extensive collaboration with UNESCO and international heritage organizations on the preservation and documentation of Iranian and Central Asian cultural heritage. Major publications include Art et Société dans le Monde iranien (1982) and History of Civilizations of Central Asia (2003, edited with Irfan Habib).