He has given many lectures at universities such as Stanford, George Washington, South California, Beijing, Istanbul. National Geographic television has produced several films portraying Reza and his photographic and humanitarian work. If that isn’t enough he received an Emmy Academy Award in 2002.

In 1991, Reza and his brother founded a Photo Agency, which has been distributing their own archives but also those of several other photographers. Having been a consultant to the United Nations in Afghanistan in 1990, being culturally close to this country and particularly being a journalist led Reza to found AINA. The NGO Aina, that is based in Paris, Kaboul and Washington D.C., struggles for developing a civil society and cultural expression by empowering media and communication. In November 2005 Reza was honoured with the title of “Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite”, the French award for distinguished services in a public or private capacity.

He also was awarded the prestigious “Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Services in Journalism” from the Missouri School of Journalism in “recognition of his lifelong contributions, through brilliant photojournalism, to justice and dignity for the world’s citizens”.