Mustapha Karkouti

Mustapha Karkouti was a Syrian-British writer and journalist who was one of the most prominent Arab voices in the UK. He started his career in journalism in the 1960s and went on to be a founding member of the Lebanese daily newspaper As-Safir. He moved to London in the early 1970s and became the president of the Foreign Press Association. He was a frequent guest on TV and radio talk shows, such as BBC News's Dateline London. He was also a founding member of the Arab-US Forum and an elected member of Chatham House Council. He wrote weekly columns for Gulf News and other publications, covering various topics related to the Middle East and international affairs. He was known for his sharp analysis, independent views, and eloquent style. He was among a group of people held hostage during the infamous Iranian embassy siege in London in 1980, where he acted as a mediator between the hostage-takers and the police. He was portrayed by Michael Denkha in the 2017 film about the embassy siege, 6 Days. He died of a cardiac arrest in London on July 16, 2020, at the age of 76. He is survived by his wife and children.