LONDON, Asharq Al-Awsat- At a ceremony held in London on Tuesday evening, Iranian journalist Amir Taheri was named “International Journalist of the Year”. The prize was part of the British Media Awards 2012 presented by panels chosen by the British Society of Editors and the Foreign Press Association (FPA).

Taheri has been a columnist for Asharq Alwsat since 1987 and, between 1990 and 2003, also covered many major events for the newspaper.

In Iran, Taheri was Editor-in-Chief of the daily Kayhan, Iran’s largest newspaper for seven years.

The judges chose the Daily Mail as “Newspaper of the Year” and its editor Paul Dacre as Editor of the Year.

The Daily Mail collected most of the prizes, including three prices for humourist columnist Craig brown in three different categories. The Times collected six prizes, including that of Taheri who has published most of his 2011 articles for the British press in that newspaper.

The Daily Telegraph won four prizes.

Thanking the judges, Taheri said he wished to dedicate his prize to all those who worked to build a new culture of journalism in the Middle East.

“I must also thank the many British editors who, over the years, have given me space to express myself,” he added.

(The English version of Taheri’s Asharq Al-Awsat columns and book reviews appears Fridays in asharq-e.com)