Saleh Bayrami, a 35-year-old Iranian graphic designer, was killed on June 15, 2025, in an Israeli airstrike while driving through Quds Square in the Tajrish neighborhood in northern Tehran, according to multiple news reports and two of his colleagues, who spoke with CPJ.
Graphic designer Mehdi Azadeh, a close friend and colleague, told CPJ that Bayrami had gone to a business meeting that day at a company in Niavaran Square. “Afterward, he was heading toward Quds Square to meet some friends,” Azadeh said. “While he was in his car at the red light, the explosion occurred and killed Bayrami.”
The damage appeared to come from the blast wave rather than direct impact, he said: “The roof of the car had collapsed — the front part especially. Bayrami died from the shockwave of the explosion. I saw his body at the funeral, and friends saw him at the morgue. His body was intact — there were no cuts or burns.”
“It happened in the afternoon,” Azadeh added. “We kept trying to call him, but there was no answer. Sadly, one of his sisters went to check and found him at the morgue.”
Bayrami, who studied at Marlik University in Nowshahr, Mazandaran province, worked as a graphic designer at Andisheh-e Pouya Monthly Magazine in Tehran “for many years — since its inception in 2012,” according to the outlet.
He also worked for Segaam Magazine, Azadeh said.
“He will always remain alive in our hearts,” the magazine wrote in a post on Instagram.
Babak Bobby Nikkhah Bahrami, founder and chief editor of National Geographic Farsi, told CPJ: “I was the editor, and Bayrami started with layout and graphic design for our magazine. Gradually, we gave him more responsibilities.”
He said that he became very close to Saleh because of “his discipline and dedication to work.” “Saleh was a fan of rock music, cars, new electronic devices, and travel,” Bahrami said. “He was a very sociable person and never hesitated to help his colleagues.”
In 2014, Bayrami co-founded a boutique media studio named Fam Studio. He also taught graphic design at Inverse School, a digital arts training institute, where he mentored dozens of young designers.
Bayrami was laid to rest on June 17 at Tehran’s Behesht Zahra cemetery, according to Azadeh and Bahrami, who both attended the funeral.
CPJ’s email seeking comment from the Israel Defense Forces’ North America media desk about Bayrami’s death did not receive a response.