A ballistic missile launched from Iran hit and damaged a building in Bat Yam, Israel, on June 15, 2025. Israel and Iran continued intense bombardments on one another's territories for the third day. Photo: VCG

On Monday local time, the headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) in Tehran came under attack reportedly by Israeli forces. The strike resulted in the death of one employee due to severe injuries and left several others wounded, according to media reports.

The assault disrupted live broadcasting, with footages showing a loud explosion and thick smoke rising from the studio during a live program. The attack has been widely condemned as a direct hit on a civilian media institution.

In response, the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) issued a statement on June 17, strongly condemning the strike. The statement described the incident as a "deliberate attack on a news organization" and asserted that "regardless of the justification, targeting media institutions with firepower crosses the bottom line of civilization."

The ACJA emphasized that such attacks not only destroy infrastructure and threaten the lives of journalists, but also severely undermine the safety and credibility of the global media environment.

"News organizations are the guardians of the public's right to know — a fundamental human right," the statement read. "When violence seeks to erase and conceal the truth, defending the safety of journalists becomes the last safeguard against a descent into darkness."

The association called for an immediate end to the creation of "black holes of truth" and urged all parties to protect journalists working in conflict zones.

Global Times