A provincial television director in Iran was dismissed after a reporter appeared to call for the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during a live broadcast marking the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
The incident took place Wednesday in Sistan-Baluchistan province. Reporter Musab Rasoulizad was covering pro-regime rallies and echoing chants from the crowd, including “Allahu Akbar.” However, he also said “Marg bar Khamenei” (“Death to Khamenei”) — a slogan typically associated with anti-government protests rather than official state events, which usually feature chants such as “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
State television quickly announced that the director of Hamoun provincial TV, along with the transmission operator and the broadcast supervisor, had been removed from their posts. Other staff members involved were referred to a disciplinary committee.
According to a statement from state television, the dismissals were made to “maintain professional discipline and safeguard the media’s reputation.”