Reza Deghati has traveled the globe as a photojournalist, bearing witness to wars, unrest, great leaders and the courage of ordinary people trapped by history. He started out as an architect in Iran in the 1970s, but an event witnessed from his office window in Tehran changed everything:
"I heard some demonstration against the shah — and this was in those days unbelievable. Nobody really thought that there would be demonstrations on the streets because the presence of the secret police and army was so strong ... that nobody would dare. One of the protesters had a camera and he was taking pictures and running. This was a moment that really changed my life. The day after, I was on the street starting [to take photographs], and day after day I just forgot to return back to my office."

As he documented the political struggles in Iran, Reza realized that for the Iranian government, photographs were perceived as actual weapons. At 22, he was arrested. He spent three years in prison for his photos before being forced into exile in 1981. He has never returned.

In Reza War and Peace some of his most dramatic works of three decades are displayed. These remarkable pictures convey torment and upheaval, but also the art, culture, and traditions of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and other areas–as well as the photographer’s understanding of humanity and deep commitment to justice. Reza trains his lens not just on war and conflict, but also on friendship and loyalty, family life and love. The book follows Reza’s photographic career and is narrated in his own words, focusing our attention on the costs of war and the human condition.