A slip of the tongue on Iranian state television this week has sent shockwaves through Tehran’s tightly controlled media system, exposing simmering tensions beneath the surface of official celebrations marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
During a live broadcast Wednesday, reporter Musab Rasoulizad appeared to sign off with the phrase “Marg bar Khamenei” — “death to Khamenei” — a slogan widely used in recent anti-regime protests and sharply at odds with the pro-government chants typically heard at state-backed rallies.
The moment came as Rasoulizad was reporting from a demonstration commemorating the revolution in Iran, describing crowd turnout and atmosphere. Instead of the customary “death to America” or “death to Israel,” he appeared to invoke a phrase targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei himself.
Within hours, the clip spread rapidly online, fueling speculation about dissent inside the country’s state media apparatus.
Rasoulizad later posted a video apology, calling the incident “a slip of the tongue and a blunder” that had been seized upon by opponents of the regime, according to Saudi state-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya.
“I apologize for this mistake, which was broadcast and became a pretext for anti-revolutionaries,” he said.
According to Al Arabiya, the head of the provincial station where the broadcast originated was dismissed, while the transmission operator and broadcast supervisor were suspended. Other staff members were referred to a disciplinary committee.
On the same day, social media footage circulated showing a mosque sermon in which a speaker appeared to begin chanting the same phrase before abruptly stopping. After shouting “death to America,” the speaker could be heard starting “Marg bar Khamen—” before cutting off mid-word.
Together, the episodes raised uncomfortable questions for Iranian authorities during one of the regime’s most symbolically important annual events.
The anniversary marked 47 years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with rallies and speeches held nationwide. Officials sought to project unity and strength, portraying the turnout as a rebuke to Western pressure and domestic unrest.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
