Iranian authorities have dismissed a provincial television director after a reporter appeared to call for the death of the country’s Supreme Leader during a live broadcast marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
The incident occurred on Wednesday during coverage of rallies commemorating the 47th anniversary of the 1979 revolution in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan. State television said the director of the Hamoun provincial TV channel was removed from his post following what it described as an “error” on the network.
During the live broadcast, reporter Musab Rasoulizad was describing the turnout at the rallies and repeating chants heard in the crowd, including “Allahu Akbar,” meaning “God is Great.” He then said “Marg bar Khamenei” (“Death to Khamenei”), a phrase that is not typically heard at government-organised rallies, where chants such as “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” are more common.
State television announced that in addition to dismissing the broadcast director, the transmission operator and broadcast supervisor had been suspended. Other staff found responsible were referred to a disciplinary committee. The decision, the broadcaster said, was taken to “maintain professional discipline and safeguard the media’s reputation.”
In a later video circulated online, Rasoulizad apologised for what he described as a “slip of the tongue and a blunder which was broadcast and became a pre-text for anti-revolutionaries.” He did not elaborate further on how the remark was made.
The episode comes weeks after widespread anti-government protests that began in late December over rising living costs and escalated into broader unrest. Iranian authorities have acknowledged that more than 3,000 people died during the disturbances, including members of the security forces and civilians, and have described the violence as the result of “terrorist acts.”
Officials say the protests initially started as peaceful demonstrations but later turned into what they called “foreign-instigated riots” involving killings and vandalism. International organisations and rights groups have disputed the official figures. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has reported that 7,002 people were killed during the protests, including 6,506 protesters.
The live broadcast incident has drawn attention within Iran’s tightly controlled media environment, where references to senior leadership are carefully monitored. Authorities have not indicated whether further disciplinary or legal action will follow.
The anniversary rallies, held annually across the country, are a key event in the political calendar and are closely covered by state media.
