Ardeshir Mohassess, a celebrated Iranian artist renowned for his illustrations blending humor with sharp social commentary, passed away from a heart attack on October 9 in New York City at the age of 70.

Born in Rasht, Iran, in 1938, Mohassess demonstrated artistic talent from an early age, reportedly drawing his first picture, an army general, at just 3 years old. He graduated with a degree in political science from Tehran University in 1962 and soon gained recognition for his political illustrations in Iranian newspapers. His work later appeared in prominent international publications, including The New York Times and The Nation.

In 1976, Mohassess traveled to the United States for what was intended to be a brief visit. However, following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which replaced the Pahlavi monarchy with a theocratic regime under Ayatollah Khomeini, he chose to remain in the U.S., eventually settling in New York.