An Iranian who got stuck for 18 years in a Paris airport, inspiring a Steven Spielberg film starring Tom Hanks, died on Saturday at the terminal.

Mehran Karimi Nasseri died of natural causes.

Caught originally in an immigration trap - unable to enter France and with nowhere to go - he became dependent on his unusual place of abode and increasingly a national and international cause celebre.

He called himself "Sir Alfred," and a small section of airport parquet and a plastic bench became his domain.

Nasseri's story inspired Spielberg's 2004 film The Terminal.

After spending most of the money he received for the film, Nasseri returned to the airport a few weeks ago with several thousand dollars found on him.

Born in 1945 in Masjed Soleiman, Nasseri took up residence in the airport in November 1988 after flying from Iran to London, Berlin and Amsterdam in an effort to locate his mother. He had been expelled each time because he lacked the correct paperwork.

At Charles de Gaulle airport, an informal support network provided him with food, entertainment and medical help.

In 1999 he was granted refugee status and the right to remain in France. "I can stay or leave. I'm not quite sure what I want to do," he said. He didn't leave until 2006.

"He's scared of going," his lawyer said at the time.

A day in the life of Mehran Karimi Nasseri at the terminal1 of Charles De Gaulle airport in 2004, when his plight inspired a Tom Hanks movie. AFP

Man who got stuck for 18 years in Paris airport dies