Iran’s top state-aligned newspaper has glorified the murder of Israeli embassy staff in Washington, DC, raising serious concerns about the regime’s alignment with terrorism amid renewed nuclear deal discussions.
At a Glance
- Iran’s Kayhan newspaper praised the murder of Israeli embassy staff in Washington, D.C.
- The editorial labeled the shooter a “dear brother” and likened him to a Basij militia founder
- This echoes a pattern of Iranian media endorsing violence, including the 2022 Salman Rushdie stabbing
- Israeli officials condemned the remarks, calling it state-sponsored incitement to terror
- The timing coincides with rumored nuclear negotiations between Iran and the U.S.
Praise for Terror in the U.S. Capital
The streets of Washington, D.C. became the latest backdrop for Iran’s ideological export of violence when a shooter opened fire near the Capital Jewish Museum, killing two staff members of the Israeli embassy. The assailant, reportedly shouting pro-Palestinian slogans, is now being celebrated in Iranian state-aligned media as a hero.
Kayhan newspaper, overseen by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s direct appointee Hossein Shariatmadari, published an incendiary editorial asking, “Any news of our dear brother Elias Rodriguez, who sent two Zionist wild animals in Washington to hell with a bullet?” The paper referred to the shooter as a member of the “Washington Basij”—invoking Iran’s brutal domestic militia notorious for suppressing dissent.
Watch a report: Iran media glorifies Washington embassy killings.
A Legacy of State-Endorsed Violence
This is not an isolated rhetorical flare-up but a consistent ideological throughline in Iran’s state-backed press. Kayhan applauded the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie in New York, calling it “divine revenge.” The praise continues a legacy that began with Ayatollah Khomeini’s 1989 fatwa against Rushdie, which remains in force today.
As Jason Brodsky of United Against Nuclear Iran remarked, “These repulsive newspaper articles are a reminder that the Iranian regime is the leading state-sponsor of antisemitism.” Indeed, the U.S. State Department has officially labeled Iran a state sponsor of terrorism for nearly four decades—a designation only reinforced by this latest glorification of violence on American soil.
Diplomatic Hypocrisy and Global Ramifications
The editorial’s timing is especially fraught. Reports suggest the Biden administration may be exploring an interim nuclear deal with Iran, which would exchange sanctions relief for limits on Tehran’s uranium enrichment. Yet the glowing tributes to a terrorist act in the heart of Washington cast doubt on Iran’s suitability as a negotiating partner.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the article, noting, “Iran openly calls for terror attacks against Israel on U.S. soil.” Such statements risk exacerbating tensions not just with Israel, but also with the United States, whose own citizen was among the murdered embassy staff.
Iran expert Beni Sabti sees the rhetoric as an intentional provocation: “This isn’t just incitement—it’s a signal of strategic posture.” For Tehran, these editorial choices may serve dual purposes: intimidating rivals while galvanizing hardline domestic support, even at the cost of international credibility.
The Disconnect Between Words and Diplomacy
Kayhan’s celebration of the killings stands in stark contrast to Iran’s purported interest in diplomatic normalization. The regime’s dual approach—negotiating with the West while celebrating bloodshed in its media—underscores the challenges facing any potential agreement.
As U.S. and allied diplomats weigh next steps, they must contend with a reality long apparent to Iranian dissidents and global analysts alike: Tehran’s rhetoric isn’t merely provocative; it is policy. Until that changes, meaningful progress on issues like nuclear security and regional stability remains a dangerous illusion.
