Wasef Bakhtari (Persian: استاد واصف باختری; 15 March 1943–19 July 2023) was an Afghan poet and literary figure.

In 1996 Bakhtari, then a professor of literature at Kabul University, and his wife Noriajan were forced to flee Afghanistan because of the intolerance of the Taliban.

[3][4] For 15 years, Bakhtari worked for the Ministry of Education, writing and translating text books.

He had also served as a professor at Kabul University and influenced many other Persian writers and poet in Afghanistan.

[citation needed] Bakhtari was one of the most noted modern Persian poets and writers in Afghanistan.