PARIS, 24 Dec. (IPS) Houshang Pourshari’ati, one of Iran’s best journalists and the last General Director of Pars news agency, the former regime’s official news agency died Wednesday morning in a New York hospital, aged 70.

A carrier and professional journalist, Mr. Pourshari’ati started his work at the age of 20 as a reporter at Etela’at newspaper, then Iran’s largest circulation daily, where he became the home Desk Editor.

After disputes with Mr. Abbas Mas’oudi, the owner of the Etela’at group of publications because of his activities in the creation of Iran’s first union of journalists, Mr. Pourshari’ati joined Ayandegan, a new newspaper run by Mr. Dariush Homayoun and with the aim of becoming Iran’s quality newspaper, like the French daily Le Monde.

Not only he was a good journalist, but, above all, he was a great reporter

It was one year before the start of the Islamic revolution that he became Editor of the Rastakhiz Javanan, a weekly of the ruling single Party Rastakhiz aimed at the young generation, before ending as General Director of the Pars news agency.

Like most of other Iranian journalists under the former regime, Mr. Pourshari’ati left Iran for the United States and started serialising his memoirs in the London-based Nimrooz weekly newspaper.

“Not only he was a good journalist, but, above all, he was a great reporter”, said Mr. Cyrous Alinezhad, a former colleague.

He leaves behind four children and a wife, all living in New Jersey. ENDS POURSHARIATI 241204