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How an Israeli strike mid-broadcast turned an Iranian anchor into a national hero
Following Israeli strike on Iran's state-run channel, IRINN, anchor Sahar Emami is being hailed as a 'national hero'. Image courtesy: X
Just minutes into a live news broadcast, chaos erupted on Iranian state TV as an Israeli airstrike hit the building. Viewers were stunned as the screen shook, the anchor ran for cover, and the broadcast abruptly cut out.
But what happened next took everyone by surprise.
The anchor, Sahar Emami, returned on air shortly after, calm and composed, and continued her bulletin. As news of the attack spread, so did the praise for Emami's strength and courage, turning her into a hero in a moment of crisis.
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Here's what we know about her
Iranian TV studio rocked by the Israeli strike
A routine evening bulletin on Iran's state-run channel, IRINN, was thrown into chaos when an Israeli airstrike struck the network's headquarters in Tehran during a live broadcast.
Anchor Sahar Emami was mid-broadcast when the explosion hit. The screen behind her suddenly went dark, and she rushed off-camera as shouts of 'Allahu Akbar' (God is great) echoed in the background.
Within seconds, the channel cut to pre-recorded programmes.
Footage showing strikes moments ago by the Israeli Air Force on the studios and offices of the Iranian state-run broadcaster IRIB in Tehran. pic.twitter.com/V5sBiyEM6p — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 16, 2025
The strike came shortly after a warning from the Israeli military urging evacuation from the area where the media offices are based. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz later stated: 'The Iranian propaganda and incitement mouthpiece is on its way to disappear.'
But the network wasn't off the air for long.
Soon after the initial chaos, Emami reappeared live from a different studio, speaking with another anchor.
'It's not the building that was bombed, it's the freedom of speech and voice of truth that was bombed,' she said as images showed the smoke and fire filling the skies.
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Aftermath of the strike on Iranian TV. Before and after shots of the building. https://t.co/huQNQwY0Q5 pic.twitter.com/cPxB7Nmbbx — Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) June 16, 2025
The Iranian broadcaster also issued a statement, condemning the attack, saying, 'The Zionist entity brutally bombed the state media headquarters in Tehran. The enemy seeks to silence the great Iranian people's voice by targeting the news channel.'
The head of Iran's broadcasting authority added that the strike 'reflects the impact of Iran's national media on Israeli media,' and insisted it had 'not broken, and will not break, the resolve of Iran's journalists.'
Praise pours in for Sahar Emami
Across social media and news outlets, Emami was hailed as a national hero, and her image was shared alongside senior leaders of the Shia-Iranian axis.
'She is the face of Iranian women's courage,' read one of the posts. With her image alongside Nasrallah, another was captioned: 'You cannot destroy an idea by killing.' Another hailed her as a 'lioness of Iranian media'.
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❤️🇮🇷 SAHAR EMAMI WILL NOT BE SILENCED! pic.twitter.com/m6bz3W5hzI — Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) June 16, 2025
Going viral is her gesture of pointing her finger while targeting Israel on television, just before the strike filled the studio with smoke. Her gesture has since been turned into posters circulating across pro-Iranian platforms, placing her alongside Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-profile figures.
Iran's Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, Zahra Behramzadeh Azar, also praised Emami in a post, calling her a symbol of Iranian women's bravery and stating that she has become 'the voice of all Iranian citizens in the face of aggression.'
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Who is Sahar Emami?
Born in 1985 in Tehran, Sahar Emami holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering with a specialisation in Food Science.
She entered the media world in 2008, starting out on a local Tehran channel, and joined IRINN's political desk in 2010.
Over the years, she hosted shows like 'Back Home' and 'Morning with the News.' But it's her role on the political programme 'Newsstand' that cemented her status as a known figure in Iranian households.
Emami is married and has a child.
Following the events of the strike, Arabic-language news outlets also praised her 'calm demeanour and confident presence'. Their coverage also noted her 'simplicity and avoidance of heavy makeup.'
With input from agencies
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