German Journalists Attacked at Iranian President’s Funeral

Mourners at the funeral procession of Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on Wednesday assaulted a news team from Germany’s television.

The German ARD news crew was targeted while filming buses that had brought pro-regime participants to the capital. According to a foreign reporter covering the funeral, there was no apparent provocation that justified the assault by Raisi's mourners.

“It remains unclear what narrative might have incited such anger among the attendees,” the reporter stated, highlighting the arbitrary nature of the aggression.

Iranian security forces intervened only to scrutinize the credentials of the journalists rather than address the hostility they faced. The action raises serious concerns about the freedom and safety of the press within Iran, as well as the government’s tacit endorsement of such attacks.

Some individuals aligned with the government circulated videos featuring chants against the reporters outside the Espinas Hotel, where they were staying. The videos portrayed the German journalists as “deceptive” in their reporting intentions, attempting to discredit their professional integrity.

According to the government supporters, the journalists aimed to falsely portray a low turnout at the funeral, an accusation that underscores the regime’s sensitivity to international perceptions.

Although the German Chancellor extended condolences to Iran over the death of the infamous president, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed solidarity with the Iranian people, particularly supporting the women of Iran, who continue to face systemic repression under the current regime.