TEHRAN -- U.S. born Iranian senior journalist Hamid Golpira, who worked for the Tehran Times and Press TV, died at Tehran’s Arad Hospital on Tuesday at the age of 55 after a six-month battle with lung cancer.

He was born and raised into an Iranian family in Baltimore. However, he left the U.S. city in 2000 to live in his fatherland.

Despite not having had any previous journalistic experience, he managed to obtain a position as an editor for the Tehran Times shortly after his arrival to Tehran.

However, due to his creative writing ability and broad knowledge of a variety of issues, he came up to speed in his new job at the daily in record time.

He rapidly turned out to be a journalism teacher for others who are now employed or were previously working at the newspaper. Many currently hold positions with other international media and newspapers.

His fascinating, insightful articles in various political, social and religious subjects of everyday life attracted views of many readers and international media to the Tehran Times.

He planned to collect all the articles in a book that he called “Working for a Brighter Day”. However, his untimely illness thwarted his plans.

Golpira was among the first group of journalists invited to start up Press TV that Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) launched in 2007.

He appeared on screen as a commentator for numerous programs on Press TV and the English Service of Sahar Universal Network.

Golpira was diagnosed with lung cancer in early January of this year and oncologists’ efforts to save his life were in vain.

The Tehran Times commemorated Golpira during a ceremony that held at the daily on May 5, 2015 to celebrate the 36th anniversary of its establishment.

Due to his contribution to English journalism in Iran, Golpira was buried in the Luminaries’ Section of Tehran’s Behesht Zahra Cemetery on Thursday.

He is survived by his sister, Roya, who lives in the United States.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. today at the Tehran Times on Bimeh Lane off Nejatollahi St.

Photo: Hamid Golpira (L) cuts a cake on the 36th founding anniversary celebration of the Tehran Times on May 5, 2015. The senior editor and journalist was also commemorated on the sidelines of the celebration. (Mehr/Vali Mohseni)

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