Iran’s Regime Media Hails D.C. Jewish Museum Shooter as ‘Dear Brother’ Amid Terror Concerns

In a chilling display of hatred, Iranian regime media has lauded Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old Chicago man accused of murdering two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., as a heroic figure. The victims, 26-year-old American Sarah Milgrim and her 30-year-old Israeli boyfriend Yaron Lischinsky, were gunned down in what Rodriguez allegedly claimed was an act "for Palestine... for Gaza."

The newspaper Kayhan, a mouthpiece for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, brazenly called Rodriguez "our dear brother" and celebrated him as the founder of a so-called "Washington Basij," likening him to Iran’s ruthless paramilitary force tasked with suppressing dissent. The outlet’s editor, Hossein Shariatmadari, even gloated, asking if there was "any news of our dear brother Elias Rodriguez, who sent two Zionist wild animals to hell." Such rhetoric is a stark reminder of Iran’s unapologetic endorsement of violence, shocking even seasoned observers of the regime’s propaganda.

Another regime-controlled outlet, Vatan-e-Emrooz, tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—a U.S.-designated terrorist group—also glorified the killings. This comes as no surprise to experts like Jason Brodsky of United Against Nuclear Iran, who noted that Kayhan has a history of praising figures like Hitler. "These repulsive articles are a reminder that the Iranian regime is the leading state-sponsor of antisemitism," Brodsky told reporters, warning that the regime’s true face is revealed in such venomous rhetoric, not in diplomatic smiles at negotiation tables.

The timing of this propaganda is particularly alarming, coinciding with reports that the Trump administration is considering an interim nuclear deal with Iran, potentially trading sanctions relief for a promise to halt nuclear weapons development. Yet, Iran’s repeated vows to continue uranium enrichment cast serious doubt on the sincerity of any such pledge. As Israeli expert Beni Sabti emphasized, the regime’s glorification of the murders signals a broader threat, not just to Israel but to the U.S. itself. "Americans must understand that the terror is also, or mostly, against them," he warned.

This incident lays bare the Iranian regime’s dangerous ideology, celebrating violence while fanning the flames of global instability. As the world watches, the question remains: can a regime that revels in such hatred ever be trusted?