TEHRAN- Behrouz Razavi, the legendary voice of Iranian radio and a veteran broadcaster, passed away in Tehran on Sunday night following a period of illness. He was 79.

 The news of Razavi’s passing, whose deep, resonant voice defined decades of storytelling, was confirmed by Farhang Julai, a veteran radio producer and relative of the deceased, Mehr reported on Monday. 

According to Julai, Razavi had been receiving treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital before he breathed his last on Sunday night.

A funeral ceremony for the late artist is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, in front of the Bilal Mosque of the IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) headquarters. Following the ceremony, Razavi will be laid to rest in the Artists' Section of the Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery.

Born on December 31, 1947, Behrouz Razavi was a multifaceted artist whose career spanned over five decades. He joined the national radio in 1968 and quickly became one of its most recognizable voices. 

Razavi was widely celebrated for his narration of the "Iran Documentary" series, directed by the late Hamid Mojtahedi, and was the long-time voice of the popular radio program "Ketab-e Shab" (Book of the Night), edited by Mohammad-Baqer Rezai.

His artistic legacy also includes significant contributions to Iranian cinema and television as a voice actor and actor. He lent his voice to the character of Ibn Abbas (played by Ali Azad) in the epic series "Imam Ali (AS)" and narrated notable works such as the television series "The Loneliest Commander" and the film "The Day of the Devil." In recent years, he also showcased his acting prowess in the popular drama series "Gonah-e Fereshteh" (The Sin of an Angel).

SAB/