Iran's state media journalist detained in Israel, says IRIB chief

The head of Iran's state broadcaster said on Tuesday that one of its journalists has been detained by Israel.

"Based on our follow-up efforts, this journalist has been imprisoned and captured by the Zionist regime," Iran's official ISNA quoted Peyman Jebelli as saying.

He said that the family did not wish for the matter to be made public, emphasizing that the journalist remains in captivity in Israel, not Gaza.

Without disclosing the journalist’s identity, or the timing of the detention, Jebelli expressed hope that the journalist would be freed from captivity soon.

Israeli officials have not yet made any announcements or confirmed the detention of the unnamed journalist affiliated with the Iran and it is unclear how he could have entered the Jewish state with whom Iran has no diplomatic ties.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, Israel has imposed restrictions on foreign journalists entering Gaza. The Israeli High Court ruled in January 2024 that the ban on foreign journalists entering Gaza could continue, citing ongoing security concerns.