Iran's Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, extended his condolences to Al Mayadeen Network on Saturday, following the martyrdom of photojournalist Ghassan Najjar, broadcast engineer Mohammad Reda, and Al Manar TV photojournalist Wissam Qassem.

Aref visited Al Mayadeen's office in Tehran where he hailed the network for its accurate reporting, which has contributed to the encouragement of protests worldwide against the Israeli aggression on both Gaza and Lebanon. 

The Iranian vice president emphasized that the peoples of the region, especially the Palestinian and Lebanese people, "will triumph over the Zionist entity," asserting that "this victory will be a precursor to the liberation of the blessed (city of) al-Quds."

Moreover, Sheikh Ali Karimian, Secretary-General of the Union of Islamic Radios and Televisions, spoke to Al Mayadeen, stating that the Israeli occupation's targeting of journalists is "clear-cut" and stems from their role in "revealing the realities on the ground."

Karimian accused the Israeli regime of having "killed the highest number of journalists globally throughout history," placing it at the "top of the list of world criminals" in targeting media professionals.

He emphasized the influential role played by Al Mayadeen, describing it as a "primary channel supporting the oppressed worldwide and the resistance."

"Israel will never achieve victory as long as it continues killing the oppressed and the Palestinian people," he asserted.

Karimian extended condolences to the Al Mayadeen Media Network, its staff, and its viewers over the martyrdom of Al Mayadeen cameraman Ghassan Najjar and broadcast engineer Mohammad Reda, who were killed in Friday's Israeli strike on the place of residence of press crews in Hasbayya, South Lebanon.

Recently as well, the Israeli occupation bombed an Al Mayadeen office in Beirut, Lebanon.

On September 24, Hadi al-Sayyed, our colleague at Al Mayadeen, was also martyred in an Israeli airstrike on South Lebanon.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon, Farah Omar, alongside photojournalist Rabih Me'mari, and civil companion Hussein Akil were martyred on November 21 last year in an Israeli drone attack that deliberately targeted them in the town of Tayr Harfa.

Lebanon takes stand: UN complaint filed over Israeli attack on press

Earlier on Saturday, Lebanese caretaker Minister of Information Ziad Makary announced that Lebanon has filed an official complaint with the United Nations over the martyrdom of the three journalists.

During a press conference, Makary pointed out that the recent martyrdom of fellow journalists serves as a stark reminder that no one is safe from the Israeli threat.

He affirmed that "media freedom ceases to exist when it is not accompanied by professionalism, especially in times of war," adding, "Today, we are not in a civil war; we are facing a war waged by the Israeli enemy against Lebanon following the events in Gaza."