Iranian TV presenter Farzad Jamshidi has died of a sudden heart attack aged just 56, his daughter has confirmed. The Channel 2 news star was reportedly set to return to presenting his religious and cultural programme after a long hiatus, but now his death has been confirmed instead.

Jamshidi died on June 29th. He was best known for hosting morning news programmes, but had recently been banned from the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) after speaking out against Iran’s negotiations with the United States. He previously presented educational programmes Yad Khoda and Mah Khoda on Channel 1.

He had also previously worked as head of the Office of Coordination and Organisation at the IRIB.

Viewers took to social media to share the news, with one X user tweeting: “Iranian TV host Farzad Jamshidi has died of a sudden heart attack at 56, with Fars News reporting no prior illness.

“Jamshidi had been banned from IRIB (‘National TV’), but his death comes just as rumours circulated that he was finally set to return to Channel 2 with a religious and cultural show.”

Another said: “Farzad Jamshidi, a broadcaster of IRIB who was speaking against the negotiations, died of a heart attack.”

His funeral was set to be held today (July 1) in the Artists’ Quarter of Behesht Zahra.