The Middle East

• Politics

Hatami is considered "the forefather of Iranian photojournalism." He started as a writer for a major newspaper in Tehran but switched to photography in 1950. He then worked briefly as the Tehran correspondent for the Black Star Agency. Life magazine published his coverage of the overthrow of democratically elected PM Mohammed Mossadegh and the restoration to power of the Shah in 1953. Twenty-five years later, Hatami shot dramatic images of street fighting during the Iranian Revolution of 1978-79, which overthrew the Shah. His daring coverage of this popular revolution has been acquired by the Library of Congress.

Photo Captions

1. The Ayatollah Khomeini during his historic flight from France to Iran on February 1, 1979. Iran's Supreme Leader had been exiled in France since 1978.

2. Gamal Abdel Nasser, the second President of Egypt from 1956 until 1970.

3. Security protects President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt as his car makes its way through the streets.

4. Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin & Egyptian President Anwar Al Sadat at the Israel/Egypt peace talks in 1977.

5. Violent protests in Tehran, Iran on Sunday, February 11, 1979.

6. Violent protests in Tehran, Iran on Sunday, February 11, 1979.