Iranian TV director fired after on-air anti-Khamenei slip

Thursday 12 February 2026 - 18:30

By: Sahili Aya

Iranian TV director fired after on-air anti-Khamenei slip

Iran’s state television announced the dismissal of a regional channel director after a journalist inadvertently uttered an anti–Supreme Leader slogan on air, which he later described as a “slip of the tongue.”

The incident occurred during Wednesday’s coverage of the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan. Journalist Musab Rasoulizad was reporting on the crowd, repeating slogans from supporters, including “Allah Akbar” (God is great), when he mistakenly said “Death to Khamenei” instead of the customary “Death to America” or “Death to Israel.”

Rasoulizad later apologized in a video statement, calling it a “blunder” and claiming that “counter-revolutionaries” were exploiting the incident.

State television confirmed the director of programs had been fired for “an error that occurred on the network.” The transmission operator and broadcast manager were suspended, while other staff deemed responsible were sent to a disciplinary committee. The broadcaster emphasized that these measures aimed to “maintain professional discipline and safeguard the reputation of the media.”

The incident comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented wave of protests in Iran that began in late December and were suppressed in early January, resulting in thousands of deaths according to human rights organizations. Iranian authorities acknowledge over 3,000 deaths but claim most victims were security personnel or bystanders killed by “terrorists” acting on behalf of the United States and Israel.