Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Peyman Jebelli, and head of IRIB World Service, Ahmad Noroozi have in separate statements condoled the martyrdom of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah’s media relations chief.
In a statement on Monday, Jebelli described the martyrdom of Mohammad Afif as “the reward [Afif was conferred upon] for his years-long struggle in the field of media in the face of the Zionist regime.”
“I proudly extend my congratulations and condolences over the martyrdom of Hajj Mohammad Afif,” the head of the Iranian state broadcaster wrote.
He hailed the martyr for “leading the media struggle in the face of the Zionist regime, and shouldering the responsibility for exposing the occupying regime’s crimes, especially the ones that were committed during [the regime’s] recent war [on Lebanon].”
Afif “staged a powerful confrontation against the enemy’s war machine in this field,” Jebelli noted.
Upon martyrdom, Afif joined the ranks of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, he said, referring to Hezbollah’s former secretary general, who was assassinated in Beirut in an Israeli strike in late September.
“We enter a pact with all these martyrs on serving as the supporter and defender of Lebanon’s people and resistance in [our] national media," the IRIB chief stated.
On Sunday night, Hezbollah confirmed that its media relations chief had been assassinated in an Israeli airstrike that hit the headquarters of the Baath political party in the densely populated Ras al-Naba neighborhood in central Beirut.