"Burn In Hell": News Host Who Escaped Iran As Child Reacts To Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Death

Rita Panahi, a Sky News Australia host who escaped Iran as a child, delivered a scathing message to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after he died in US-Israeli strikes. "All I have to say is that after 47 years of Islamist tyranny, the dictator is dead, and Iran is on the verge of being liberated," she said live on air. "Never thought I would see this day in my lifetime," she added, further praising US President Donald Trump for his "courage" to launch the missile strikes, which are described by officials as "Operation Epic Fury".

In Iran, some grieved while others celebrated the death of their Supreme Leader, who ruled for 36 years. Several news hosts were emotional on air when they confirmed that Khamenei had been killed on Saturday.

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Meanwhile, Panahi, who hasn't been able to return to Iran due to fear of persecution, expressed her sentiment in Persian, roughly translating to "Your father is a d*g, dirt be on your head and burn in hell". Her co-anchor Rowan Dean highlighted the personal nature of the news for Panahi.

The clip, shared by dozens of users on X (formerly Twitter), gained more than 100,000 views within hours. "RITA'S TAKE ON STRIKES ON IRAN," read the text on the video.

Watch the video here:

I should've added a "bisharaf" in there too. https://t.co/A1JQTBGO18

— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) March 2, 2026

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US President Donald Trump announced Khamenei's death, stating he was "one of the most evil people in History". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that thousands more targets would be struck in the coming days

Russia, meanwhile, condemned the attacks, with President Vladimir Putin saying, "Please accept my deep condolences in connection with the murder of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Ali Khamenei, and members of his family, committed in cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law."