TEHRAN – The newest mural at Valiasr Square in central Tehran was unveiled Tuesday morning, depicting Iran's state TV presenter Sahar Emami following the Zionist regime's attack on the main building of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Monday evening.

The phrase on the mural is a verse from Ferdowsi's Shahnameh (Book of Kings), related to the story of Rostam and Sohrab. It reads: “He was surprised to see from the Iranian army / Such a girl has come to the battlefield,” Mehr reported.

In this verse, Sohrab is surprised to see Gordafarid in battle dress, who has come from the Iranian army to the battlefield.

Gordafarid is one of the most prominent female characters in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, who is considered a symbol of bravery. She was a champion who fought against Sohrab (another Iranian hero who was the commander of the Turanian army).

“You hear the sound of the aggressor attacking the truth,” Sahar Emami said moments before an Israeli bomb landed on the studio she was in, during a live transmission, while journalists were still in the complex covering the ongoing Iran-Israel war that began with the regime’s unprovoked aggression in the early hours of Friday.

She returned to live broadcast minutes later at a different location, vowing to continue her job as a journalist as long as she is alive. “If I die, others will take my place and reveal your crimes to the world,” she said, maintaining a calm demeanor while looking directly at the camera.

Emami said that the voice of truth will not be silenced. “With the help of God Almighty and the measures of the Supreme Leader and senior officials, we will continue our work”.

“In this attack, the news building was not targeted, freedom of expression and the voices of women and children were targeted,” she added.

Hassan Abedini, deputy of political affairs at the IRIB, also appeared on air and emphasized: “Shooting journalists is shooting at the truth and people who tell the truth. How can the international community and the media justify this situation?! What is happening is a war crime”.

Emami’s return to the airwaves despite the explosions has sent a strong message that the voice of Iran and its revolution will not be silenced by military aggression.

Her steadfastness has been widely praised across Iranian society and beyond, with social media flooded by messages of admiration, portraying her as a true symbol of dedication and national pride.

The incident has reinforced a sense of unity and defiance among Iranians, highlighting Emami as an emblem of strength, courage, and resilience in the face of external threats.

The IRIB owns the biggest news outlet in the country. It has been actively covering Israeli attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure.

The deliberate targeting of journalists and media infrastructure constitutes a war crime under international law. The Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court explicitly protect civilians, including journalists performing their work in conflict zones, from direct attack.

Israel has a long history of targeting journalists and media outlets across the region. In its ongoing war in Gaza, the regime has deliberately murdered over 170 Palestinian journalists, killing some in refugee tents, some in their cars while on duty, and some alongside their entire families in a single strike.

SS/SAB