Golestan, covering the Iraqi war for the BBC Television, with which he had worked in a freelance capacity for the past three years, was killed instantly when he stepped out of his car onto a mine.

He was traveling with the BBC producer Stuart Hughes, who has been taken by ambulance to the American military hospital in Soleymanieh, in the Iraqi Kurdistan controlled by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, for treatment to a foot injury.

BBC correspondent In Tehran Jim Muir and the team's local translator, who were also travelling in the car, were unhurt.

"He had worked with the BBC for many years. Our deepest sympathy goes to his family and friends. This once again underlines the dangers faced by news teams covering the war in Iraq."

The incident occurred at lunchtime today in Kifri, a town in the southern part of the Kurdish area of Iraq.

Golestan, 52, became the BBC's contract cameraman in the Iranian capital Tehran in September 2000, and had worked for many western news organisations.

He is the third journalist to be killed as a direct result of the conflict.

Veteran Terry Lloyd was killed in southern Iraq on March 22 in what is thought to have been "friendly fire" from British or US troops.

An Australian freelance cameraman, Paul Moran, who was working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, has also been killed in northern Iraq.

Channel 4 News correspondent Gaby Rado died in northern Iraq at the weekend, however it is not thought that his death was connected to military action.