TEHRAN – The Permanent Secretariat of the Sobh International Media Festival has issued a scathing condemnation of the detention of British journalist Richard Medhurst at London's Heathrow Airport. 

The festival, which honored Medhurst as a guest and awardee at its second edition, described the arrest as a "retaliatory act by Zionist entities and lobbies" against his efforts to expose "the crimes of Zionists and the American-Israeli genocide against the people of Gaza."

The statement reads: "We denounce the arrest as a pre-meditated act of retaliation against Medhurst's courageous efforts to expose the truth."

In a video posted on his X account, Medhurst detailed his experience, stating, "I was arrested on Thursday at London’s Heathrow Airport and held in custody for almost 24 hours. This was pre-planned and coordinated. Many people have been detained in Britain because of their journalistic activities."

The festival called upon international institutions related to journalists to condemn the "killing of journalists in Palestine" and the "arrest, pressure, and intimidation of journalists worldwide, including Medhurst."

The Secretariat's statement underscores the strong stance Iranian media outlets take against perceived Israeli and Western aggression, particularly in relation to the Palestinian conflict. The detention of Medhurst, a prominent journalist known for his critical reporting on Israel, is seen as an example of this broader narrative.