'Blood is on your hands': Iran state TV hacked by protest supporters

Iranian state-run television was hacked on Saturday by supporters of the ongoing wave of protests in the country.

A channel that is part of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) was hacked during its 9pm news broadcast, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.

The broadcast was interrupted as an image of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, depicting him on fire and with a target on his head, appeared next to a message which read "the blood of our youths is on your hands", AFP reported.

‼️l Hacking of #Iran official TV news broadcast tonight with image of Supreme leader Khamenei on fire, photos of #MahsaAmini & other women killed in protests, & slogan of uprising at bottom “Women, Life, Freedom”: pic.twitter.com/kOGFgvcmpj

— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) October 8, 2022

An image of Mahsa Amini – whose fatal beating in Iranian morality police custody has sparked protests across the country – also appeared, alongside pictures of three other women killed during the deadly crackdown on demonstrations by state security forces.

The hack, which interrupted footage of Khamenei meeting state officials, was claimed by the Edalat-e Ali (Ali's Justice) hacktivist group, encouraged viewers to "join us and rise up."

The group shared their Twitter handle @edalaateali1400 on the screen. Twitter has "temporarily restricted" the account due to "unusual activity", but it is still available to view.

The account’s Twitter biography reads "hoping for freedom day".

Amini’s death last month sparked large-scale protests in Iran, which security forces have met with violent repression.

The 22-year-old was visiting Tehran with her brother when she was detained by the so-called morality police for not wearing her headscarf 'properly'.

Eyewitnesses at the police station and her family say the 22-year-old was beaten. She died days after her arrest.