During a Saturday newscast, a state-run news channel was “hacked” amid continuous anti-government protests in Iran. Suddenly, a mask and a picture of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei in flames with a target symbol on his face emerged on broadcast.
The evening news show “was hacked for a few moments by anti-revolutionary operatives,” according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.
A hacker collective calling itself “Edalat-e Ali” (Ali’s Justice) claimed responsibility for the attack, which briefly cut off video of Khamenei meeting state officials. On the upper right corner of the screen, they put the phrase “Join us and rise up.”
A verse, roughly translated as, “The blood of our youths is on your hands”, was displayed on screen. “It’s time to collect your furniture from Pasteur Street and find another place for your family outside Iran,” the hackers’ message read, reports said.
The footage of the hack was posted on social media by a lot of people and rights organisations. Additionally, Persian media based outside of Iran covered it extensively.
In videos posted online, the news anchor is seen shifting uncomfortably in his seat after the hacker’s clip ended, with his squirming reaction being turned into a meme, which was shared widely on social media.
Iran has intensified its crackdown over anti-government protests resulting in the death of two persons on Saturday. In Sanandaj, security forces shot and killed a driver in his car, while in one of the schools in Saqqez, two teachers were injured, according to the Iranian human rights group Hengaw.
It said said another protester was shot in the abdomen by IRGC security forces and died.
Iran’s anti-hijab protests started after Mahsa Amini, 22, died while being held in custody.