Paris, 11 June (IPS) Touraj Farazmand, one of Iran’s leading and most popular journalist, political analyst, radio progammes producer, translator, intellectual and the last General Director of Iranian National Radio and Television died Friday 9 June of cancer in a Los Angeles hospital at the age of 82.

The French educated Farazmand, better known by his friends as “The Prince”, became Editor of “Etela’at”, then Iran’s largest circulation daily before joining the Iranian public radio, where his daily political commentaries were among the station’s most appreciated programmes, making him one of Iran’s best known commentators of international standing.

Nothing is more sacred than freedom of the press

He joined the newly established Iranian National Radio and Television to become the director of the Organisations largest networks until his final departure from Iran few days before the fall of the Monarchy in 1979 for France, where he joined Mr. Shahpour Bakhtiar, Shjah’s last prime minister, the leader of the main nationalist Iranian opposition to the newly established theocracy.

After the assassination of Mr. Bakhtiar in Paris, Mr. Farazmand left France for the United States, continuing his struggle for democracy and freedom from Los Angeles, the base of many Iranian radio and television stations encouraging Iranians to resist dictatorship, oppression, arbitrary rule and intolerance. ENDS TOURAJ 11606