Iran fires local TV boss after reporter appears to call for Khamenei’s death

Iranian authorities dismiss a provincial television director after a reporter appeared to call for the death of the country’s supreme leader.

The incident happened during yesterday’s live broadcast of the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in the southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan province.

During the live feed, reporter Musab Rasoulizad was describing the turnout at the rallies, and repeating chants heard in the crowd, such as “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for God is great.

He then said “Marg bar Khamenei” (Death to Khamenei), rather than one of the chants typically heard at such government-organized rallies, which include “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

“The broadcast director of Hamoun provincial TV channel has been dismissed following an error that occurred on the provincial network,” state television said yesterday. “The transmission operator and broadcast supervisor were suspended. Other staff found at fault were also referred to the disciplinary committee.”

It added that the decision was made in order to “maintain professional discipline and safeguard the media’s reputation.”

In a later video, Rasoulizad appeared to apologize for what he called a “slip of the tongue and a blunder which was broadcast and became a pretext for anti-revolutionaries.”

Yesterday’s rallies took place weeks after mass anti-government protests in Iran, which erupted in late December against the rising cost of living, peaked last month.

Tehran has acknowledged that more than 3,000 people died during the unrest, including members of the security forces and innocent bystanders, and attributed the violence to “terrorist acts.”

International organizations have put the toll far higher.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says 7,002 people, including 6,506 protesters, were killed during protests. Some estimates say the true death toll is in the tens of thousands.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.