And then theres always the crying and the weeping that we hear-children, women, even men. And these images and these sounds are always with me.

I leave CNN with the utmost respect, love and admiration for the company and everyone who works here. This has been my family and shared endeavor for the past 27 years, and I am forever grateful and proud of all that we have accomplished.

And one thing that I always believed and that I knew for certain was that I could never have sustained a personal relationship while I worked this hard, or while I was that driven this intensely by the story.

Im not an American but I have always had the outsiders respect for the American people and the American way.

In Iran the whole reform and democracy movement has been based on the emerging free press.

I have made my living bearing witness to some of the most horrific events of the end of our century, at the end of the 20th century.

What we do and say and show really matters.