BBC Correspondent Jon Leyne has died after an illness.

His duties had taken him to Baghdad, Amman, Tehran, Cairo the UN..

Jon joined the BBC in 1985.

The BBC News report may be found here.

"Acting Director BBC News Fran Unsworth said: "Jon was a brave and courageous journalist in the best traditions of the BBC. He had an insatiable curiosity and told complex stories in an engaging and accessible way.""

"The Daily Mail" has a tribute here.


A BBC News biography may be found here. Dated 2007.

In 2009  "The Guardian" reported that:-

"Jon Leyne, the BBC's permanent correspondent in Iran, was expelled from the country yesterday with local reports suggesting his removal was caused by the corporation's coverage of unrest following the disputed presidential election."


"The Daily Telegraph" has an obituary here.

" Leyne loved the BBC, and was always conscientious and hard-working. In his spare time he was a keen runner, rower and pianist. He was also accomplished on the bassoon, taking the instrument wherever he was in the world; while in Jordan he played bassoon with one of the country’s leading orchestras, performing in the Roman amphitheatre at Jerash. "  

Jon's rowing prowess is recounted here, by Christopher Dodd.

"When a local pub, the Swan, installed a new grand piano, Jon commandeered it. He was addressed as "Rachmaninov" by the landlord ever after."