Mehrnaz Samimi

In the absence of a free press, granting accessible training is one of the best ways to reach journalists in Iran and Afghanistan. Through IJNet Persian, ICFJ has managed to accomplish just that, reaching many who live in remote areas with no access to training and tools. I proudly consider IJNet Persian a great achievement, which continues to inspire me as it thrives. 

My background: I started professional journalism at the age of 22 in Tehran, Iran, where I’m from. I’ll never forget the thrill of buying the magazine where my first story was published, at a kiosk in Tehran. After writing came editing, and two books followed. I studied French Literature at the University of Tehran, graduating summa cum laude. 

I grew up speaking, and am fully fluent in Persian, English, French and Dari. Diverse people and cultures fascinate me. In the U.S., where I’ve lived for 16 years, I have worked as a broadcast journalist, done countless hours of simultaneous interpretation, and hundreds of my articles have been published. Editing, translating, interpreting and writing all intrigue me almost as much as the day I started doing each.

Pronouns: She/her

Contact me: Twitter and LinkedIn