Iran's ‘fearless’ TV presenter Sahar Emami returns on air after Israel strike

TEHRAN: Iranian TV anchor Sahar Emami returned to the airwaves on Tuesday, just one day after an Israeli missile strike targeted the headquarters of Iran’s national broadcaster.

Appearing calm and composed, Emami went live on air, declaring: “I fear none but Allah.” She condemned the attack on Iran’s media, calling it “a clear and evident example of opposition to freedom of expression.”

“The news building itself was not the target – it was freedom of speech,” she said, adding: “The true targets were the voice of truth, and the voices of the men, women, and children who have been martyred in recent days.”

Sahar Emami further stated that the Israeli regime had once again miscalculated Iran’s resilience.

A day earlier, Israeli forces launched a direct strike on the headquarters of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) during a live transmission. According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, the strike temporarily disrupted IRIB’s news broadcast. Despite the explosion rocking the studio, a presenter remained calm on air, and broadcasting resumed shortly afterward.

Read More: Israel strikes Iranian state TV headquarters during live broadcast

During the attack, Emami was heard saying on-air: “What you just witnessed was the sound of a blatant aggression by the Zionist regime against IRIB.”

According to Iran’s Press TV, the attack resulted in the death of at least one female IRIB staffer and injuries to several others. It marked a rare direct assault on Iran’s state media, amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.

Emami’s defiant return to the screen has been widely praised by Iranian media outlets as a symbol of resilience and defiance.