Iran TV halts coverage of Israeli election after Netanyahu rout fails to materialise

Iran state media coverage of Israel’s election stopped abruptly when early results dashed hopes of a rout for Benjamin Netanyahu – as dissidents voiced the hope “Bibi can finish the job he started” in resuming war against the regime. As an overnight live broadcast began, regime media had been celebrating the “total defeat” of the Israeli prime minister. But after exit poll projections then suggested the losses by the Likud-led coalition would not be as great as had been expected, the election largely disappeared from state television's news agenda for several hours.

When it came back, the focus shifted away from Netanyahu's performance to the gains made by Arab parties, along with the failure of either the government or opposition bloc to secure a parliamentary majority. Radio Tehran suggested that the political uncertainty could create opportunities for Iran-backed militant groups to wreak havoc. The station claimed: “The current situation could lead to the overthrow of the Zionist regime and empower the axis of resistance, including in the Gaza Strip, for further operations against the Zionist occupation.”

Hardline Iranian newspaper Farhikhtegan describing the Knesset as the “House of Satan” and portraying its political deadlock as a sign of deeper instability. Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), welcomed what it called the victory of Arab parties, arguing that their increased parliamentary representation could weaken Israel from within. “Of course, the growing power of the Arabs also means a weakening of the Zionists internally, along with an increase in unrest,” the agency claimed.

Fars predicted that Israel could be forced to hold another election, warning of further political instability. “The continuation of this process would lead to instability, insecurity, and escalating conflicts, further intensifying tensions surrounding the next possible election,” it reported. The IRGC-affiliated newspaper Javan also praised the performance of Arab parties, suggesting their electoral gains could make them kingmakers in coalition negotiations.

“Arab citizens living in the occupied territories made a strong showing in support of their representatives. With an 80 per cent voter turnout, they secured more seats, which could turn them into the ‘kingmakers’ of a coalition government,” the newspaper wrote. Iranian state media have also sought to portray Israel's political uncertainty as evidence that another military attack against the Islamic Republic is unlikely, arguing that political turmoil would make further operations impossible.

The claims come amid speculation about the possibility of renewed joint Israel-US military operations against Iran. Dissidents welcomed the possibility of the resumption of the campaign. Speaking to the JC from Tehran, Amir, 29 said:“That's what we are hoping for. We are hoping Bibi will go ahead and, as he promised, finish the job he started. “Trump stopped him. Otherwise, he would have ended this months ago. But now Trump knows the regime in Iran is not trustworthy, so he needs to trust Bibi.”

Mahrokh, a middle-aged Iranian woman speaking to the JC from the city of Mashhad, said the regime's coverage of the Israeli election exposed a striking contradiction in its longstanding position towards the Jewish state. “The Iranian regime is now using exactly the same language against Israel that opposition media use against the regime itself. “The way they are promoting Netanyahu's opponents on Iranian television is unbelievable. They used to boycott anything related to Israeli domestic politics because they say they don't recognise Israel as a country.

But now they are following the news closely.” She said the regime was presenting Israel's political divisions as evidence of chaos, while ignoring the democratic process behind them. Mahrokh added: “They see the current situation as chaos, but in practice, this is what democracy looks like. As someone who follows politics closely, I can see that what is happening in Israel is democracy in action.” She stressed that she was not calling for war, but expressed frustration with the US president's approach to the Islamic Republic.

“I am not asking for any war, but what Trump did was hijack our revolution against the regime and then use it to make a nuclear deal with the regime. “At least Bibi won't do that, and he can convince Trump not to trust the Iranian regime.” The election has been closely watched against the backdrop of renewed calls by Iranian officials and state media figures for the Islamic Republic to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and develop nuclear weapons.

Iranians opposed to the regime fear acquiring a nuclear bomb would enable the Islamic Republic to stay in power for decades. “Bibi is the only person who can stop this. Otherwise, what was the point of attacking them in the first place and then just walking away?” Shahriar, an Iranian university student, told the JC from Tehran. “Over the past few days, Iranian state television has repeatedly broadcast interviews with pro-regime citizens calling on the Supreme Leader to give the order to produce nuclear bombs as soon as possible.

“We know that when this kind of propaganda starts, it means the regime is moving in that direction and trying to prepare the public for what is coming,” he said. “Can you imagine how bad things could get if the current balance of power in Israel and the US changes? It would be disastrous for Iran, for Israel, for America and for the entire world.”