Kiarostami, suffering from gastrointestinal cancer since March, had left Iran for Paris a few days ago, where he was receiving treatment.
He had undergone a series of operations and succumbed to a stroke on Monday.
Born in 1940 in Tehran, Kiarostami studied painting at the University of Tehran and started working as a graphic designer.
His first movie, Where Is the Friend’s Home? (1987) was awarded the Bronze Leopard at the Locarno film festival.
Taste of Cherry, his seventh feature, was awarded the Palme d’Or in 1997.
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