Reza Moghaddasi, the former director of the Tehran Times and Mehr news agency, didn’t just have high morals and values as a manager, he was also an ethical journalist.

Although he is no longer among us, his good personality is living with us.  
As a senior journalist, he was admired by moderate principlists and reformists alike. Condolences have poured in since word of his demise on Friday morning.

All colleagues at the Tehran Times and Mehr viewed him as a very generous man. In difficult circumstances, colleagues counted on him for good judgment and fairness. For instance,  when came a decision to reduce the number of pages in the Tehran Times from 16 to 12 due to budget constraints, there was concern that some journalists might be laid off, but Mr. Moghaddasi assured all that “nobody is going to be dismissed”. 

His benevolent character was also noted by the families of journalists who had the opportunity to meet him. 

One of the journalists at the Tehran Times says: “What made Reza Moghaddasi distinct from others was his humble behavior. Respect for others was a priority for him.”  

Another colleague characterized him as a person who put great emphasis on “cultural issues”.  

Yet, another Iranian-American female journalist at the paper remembers him advising her to practice patience and remain in Iran and help the country meet the challenges ahead. 

In a ceremony held during the fasting month of Ramadan when the families of journalists were present, the public relations officer said, that “he knew no other managing director that paid so much attention to the matter of families of colleagues.” 

As a manager his character fascinated people. Nobody was hesitant to approach him and discuss their concerns. Most colleagues were in contact with him even after he resigned from his post as director of these two media outlets. 

We at the Tehran Times and Mehr remember him as a man of patience, honesty, endurance, and strong ethics. We hope that his deportment will serve as a model for other journalists. We also deeply empathize with his surviving family and grieve over the loss of this man of kindness and patience.