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NYT has been called out for its headline calling Ayatollah Khamenei a "hard-line cleric" who made Iran into a regional power.
Khamenei was also described in the Times' obituary as ''avuncular and magnanimous.''
Actually, he was a cold-blooded killer who led the chants "Death to America," and "Death to Israel."
The New York Times mostly missed that part.
America and Israel are at war with Iran, formerly known as Persia.
Be informed, not misled.
The New York Times: "With his spectacles, Palestinian kaffiyeh, long robes and silver beard, Ayatollah Khamenei cast himself as a religious scholar as well as a writer and translator of works on Islam. He affected an avuncular and magnanimous aloofness, running the country from a perch above the jousting of daily politics."
The newspaper announced, "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hard-Line Cleric Who Made Iran a Regional Power, Is Dead at 86."
It is true, he is dead.
However, the piece was met with pushback on social media from politicians and pundits.
Republican Tim Sheehy represents Montana in the United States Senate. He is a father, husband, former Navy SEAL team leader, aerial firefighter, and entrepreneur. Sheehy completed several deployments and hundreds of missions as a Navy SEAL officer and team leader, earning the Bronze Star with Valor for Heroism in Combat and the Purple Heart.
Here's what he had to say: "NYT got the headline wrong. Let me help: Radical Islamic terrorist who murdered thousands of Americans got what he deserved. There we go."
Others reacted to the New York Times' headline by pointing out that Khamenei was responsible for the murder of thousands.
Tara Servatius, a radio talk show host, said:
"Ayatollah Khamenei executed tens of thousands of innocent people for the crime of disagreeing with him."
"The New York Times was cool with that."
"Do you seriously think their attitude would be different if he were a left-wing ruler of America when he did it?"
Fox News contributor Joe Concha wrote, "I give up…"
"The NYT is garbage," the Heritage Foundation's Jason Bedrick said in response to the headline.
The last shah of Iran’s eldest son said Saturday the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei effectively marks the end of his birth country’s Islamic theocracy, which ousted his father from power 47 years ago.
President Trump was blunt about why and what the US is doing. President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday afternoon that Khamenei was killed during the daytime strikes against Iran carried out by the U.S. and Israel.
Reza Pahlavi — whose father, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, ruled Iran from 1941 until his deposition in 1979 — called Khamenei a “bloodthirsty despot” and said the regime he had presided over would soon be in “the dustbin of history.”
The last shah’s son stated that any “attempt by the remnants of the regime to appoint a successor to Khamenei is doomed to fail from the outset.”
He wrote:
(English translation) " My fellow compatriots, Ali Khamenei, the bloodthirsty despot of our time, the murderer of tens of thousands of Iran’s bravest sons and daughters, has been erased from the face of history. With his death, the Islamic Republic has in effect reached its end and will very soon be consigned to the dustbin of history.
Any attempt by the remnants of the regime to appoint a successor to Khamenei has already failed. Whoever they install in his place will have neither legitimacy nor survival; and will undoubtedly be complicit in the crimes of this regime.
To the military, law enforcement, and security forces: Any attempt to preserve a collapsing regime is doomed to failure. This is your last chance to join the nation; to help Iran transition steadily to a free and prosperous future; and to participate in building that future.
Although the death of the criminal Khamenei will not avenge the bloodshed, it can be a balm to the burning hearts of families seeking justice; grieving fathers and mothers, wives and children; and the families of those who sacrificed their lives in the national revolution of the milky sun of Iran.
The noble and brave nation of Iran,
Although this is the beginning of our great national celebration, it is not the end of the road. Be alert and ready. The time for a massive and decisive presence in the streets is very close. Together, united and steadfast, we will achieve the final victory, and celebrate the freedom of Iran throughout our glorious homeland.
Iran's Perseverance,
Reza Pahlavi
Freedom is knocking on the door.
President Trump has told Iran, "Your hour of Freedom is at hand."
He said in a social media post, "This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country."
Iranians across the country could be seen and heard celebrating the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after coordinated Israeli strikes overnight.
In one video, Iranians near Karaj, outside Tehran, took to the streets, honked their horns, and cheered.
In social media videos, Iranians in Tehran cheered from their apartments, playing loud music and setting off fireworks as the news spread.
In Fuladshahr, people packed the streets, waving their arms in the air, whistling, honking, and cheering over the news.
In Borazjan, Iran, celebrants chanted and, in Mamasani, they waved flags and danced.
People also celebrated in the Iranian cities of Shiraz and Abadan, "where the people are out on the streets till the wee hours of the night in celebration of an Iran that is on the brink of finding its freedom after almost five decades," according to Lisa Daftari, editor at The Foreign Desk.
Sunday mourning.
We learned yesterday that three of our own have been killed in the war in Iran.
At least 9 Israelis have also been killed in the battle.
President Donald Trump vowed Sunday to "avenge" the deaths of three U.S. service members killed in action as the conflict involving Iran deepens across the Middle East.
"As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation," Trump said in a video statement posted on Truth Social.
"Even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives, we pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen."
A Biblical Takeaway
Most evangelical Christians and prophecy scholars believe the rising conflict between Iran (often identified as Persia or Elam) and Israel aligns with end-times biblical prophecies. These beliefs focus on an Ezekiel 38-39 coalition of nations led by Iran attacking Israel, and Jeremiah 49, predicting the breaking of Elam's military power.
Some other things to think about:
- Ezekiel 38-39 (Gog and Magog): Many interpreters identify Persia (modern Iran) as a key player in a coalition that attacks Israel in the "latter days". This prophecy describes a massive invasion aimed at a peaceful Israel, which is ultimately defeated by divine intervention.
- Jeremiah 49:34-39 (Judgment on Elam): This passage is often linked to Iran, specifically predicting that God will "break the bow of Elam" (destroy its military might/nuclear capability) and scatter its people, with a later restoration to God.
- Operation Rising Lion: Some interpretations connect current military actions to Numbers 23:24, suggesting a time of reckoning for nations opposing Israel.
- The Rapture and the Second Coming: Scholars suggest that the growing conflict between Iran and Israel is a sign pointing toward the Rapture and the final battles, such as Armageddon, leading to the Second Coming of Christ.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Engaged. Be Watchful. Be Ready. Be Prayerful.
