BSA Decisions Ngā whakatau a Te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

Summary  

[This summary does not form part of the decision.] 

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about a 1News item saying ‘millions’ attended the late Iranian Supreme Leader’s funeral procession. The complainant questioned the accuracy of this reference and the broadcaster’s efforts to verify this figure. The Authority found the figure was not materially inaccurate or misleading in the context of an item focussed on the images of defiance and calls for vengeance at the procession. It also found the broadcaster had made reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy, noting the reference to ‘millions’ of attendees was consistent with other reporting.

Not Upheld: Accuracy

The broadcast

[1]  The 7 July 2026 broadcast of 1News included an item about the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s former Supreme Leader. The 1News reporter introduced the segment:

Flags symbolising vengeance have been waved in the streets of Tehran during the funeral procession of Iran’s late Supreme Leader. Millions gathering this week for six days of mourning, but there’s still no sign of his son and successor, who was severely wounded in the attack.

[2]  A video montage showed numerous mourners surrounding the former Supreme Leader’s funeral cortege, including individual and crowd shots, as the broadcast follows:

BBC reporter:            [Voiceover] The clenched fist of Iran's Islamic Republic raised one generation to the next. Now, as it buries the last of its founders, a fist of defiance is the official symbol in a week of public mourning and political messaging. Today, the most significant day, the spectacle Iran wants the world to see: the Supreme Leader's cortege inching through this city, slowed and stopped by millions of mourners. And four other caskets for his family members, the smallest painted with Iran's flag for his granddaughter Zahra, all killed by US-Israeli airstrikes in the very first hours of the February war. Red is the loudest colour of these crowds. Religious flags symbolising blood and revenge, singling out President Trump as their target.

Mourner:                    Very soon you will see the sign of revenge at the top of the White House and soon the colour of the White House will change the same as the colour of my flag.

BBC reporter:            [Voiceover] The procession's six-mile journey ended here: Azadi “Freedom” Square, Tehran's historic landmark for the ‘79 Revolution and the waves of anti-government protests since then.

[Video montage of Ayatollah Khomeini’s funeral plays] Today, another turn. Nearly four decades ago I was in Iran when it buried its first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini. In the frenzy then, his coffin broke, his white shrouded body carried in this crush.

[Footage of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral] Now a second cleric has assumed his mantle, Mojtaba Khamenei, but he's not been seen in public – not even today, since the airstrikes which killed his father severely injured him.

1News reporter:        Tehran officials say the absence of Iran's new Supreme Leader is due to the continued threat of assassination.

The complaint

[3]  Hamid Moradi complained the broadcast breached the accuracy standard of the Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand for the following reasons:

• The broadcast said ‘“millions of people” attended the funeral procession of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’. ‘I would like to question whether this figure was independently verified by 1News before being presented to New Zealand viewers.’
• ‘…1News often states that certain claims cannot be independently verified or cannot be confirmed.’ ‘I would like to understand why this particular figure was accepted without the same level of caution and independent verification. A simple physical analysis of the location raises serious questions about the accuracy of the reported number.’ The complainant provided a ‘basic crowd-capacity’ calculation to support this statement.
• ‘My concern is not about whether the funeral was a significant event or whether people attended. My concern is specifically about the accuracy of the reported number and the verification process behind that figure.’

[4]  On referral to the Authority, the complainant elaborated on aspects of his complaint, including:

• ‘In my view, repetition of an uncertain claim by other media organisations does not constitute independent verification.’ Other reports mentioning attendee numbers used an ‘enormous range’, demonstrating the crowd size was ‘highly uncertain’.
• The report described the cortege ‘as being slowed and stopped by “millions of mourners”’, suggesting millions were present at that time rather than cumulatively over the six days of mourning.
• The ‘extraordinary numerical claims should be tested against the physical characteristics of the location’.
• ‘The difference between hundreds of thousands and several million is not a trivial numerical detail. It can substantially alter a viewer’s understanding of the scale of public participation and apparent public support for a political leader.’

The broadcaster’s response

[5]  Television New Zealand Ltd (TVNZ) did not uphold the complaint for the following reasons:

• Statements in the broadcast indicated ‘the number of people being discussed was seen over a six-day time period and over the area of the city where the cortege was taken’.
• ‘[T]he exact number of mourners is not material to viewers’ understanding of the funeral and funeral procession. It is clear from the footage which is shown that a large number of people attended on the day of filming and, as noted, the funeral spanned six days.’
• ‘Iranian media stated 41 to 43 million attended the funeral ceremonies.¹ 1News did not report this figure. In fact, 1News did not specify how many millions of people attended.’
• ‘While the Committee understands that it is difficult to ascertain exact crowd size, we do not agree that viewers were misled by the description of the turnout as being “millions” in the 1News report, this is consistent with the reporting of other reputable news sources².’

The standard

[6]  The purpose of the accuracy standard (standard 6) is to protect the public from being significantly misinformed.³ The standard states:⁴

• Broadcasters should make reasonable efforts to ensure news, current affairs or factual content:
  • is accurate in relation to all material points of fact
  • does not materially mislead the audience (give a wrong idea or impression of the facts).
• Further, where a material error of fact has occurred, broadcasters should correct it within a reasonable period after they have been put on notice.

Our analysis

[7]  We have watched the broadcast and read the correspondence listed in the Appendix.

[8]  As a starting point, we considered the right to freedom of expression. It is our role to weigh up the right to freedom of expression and the value and public interest in the broadcast, against any harm potentially caused by the broadcast. We may only intervene where the level of harm means that placing a limit on the right to freedom of expression is reasonable and justified.⁵

[9]  Determination of a complaint under the accuracy standard occurs in two steps. The first step is to consider whether the programme was materially inaccurate or misleading. The second step is to consider whether the broadcaster made reasonable efforts to ensure the programme was accurate and did not mislead. To ‘mislead’ is defined as giving a wrong idea or impression of the facts.

[10]  The standard does not require broadcasters to ‘independently verify’ each fact mentioned in a broadcast. However, if a broadcast is found to be materially inaccurate or misleading, steps taken to verify the challenged point may be relevant in assessing the reasonableness of the broadcaster’s efforts to ensure accuracy.

Were statements about the ‘millions’ of attendees materially inaccurate or misleading?

[11]  The standard is concerned only with material points; it is not concerned with technical or other points unlikely to significantly affect the audience’s understanding of the content as a whole.⁶

[12]  The relevant statements in the broadcast were: ‘Millions gathering this week for six days of mourning,’ and, ‘[T]he Supreme Leader's cortege inching through this city, slowed and stopped by millions of mourners.’

[13]  While it is not our role to determine the precise numbers in attendance, we note the reference to ‘millions’ is consistent with other reporting (see paragraph [17b] below) and well below figures published by Iranian media.⁷ We also note the ‘crowd capacity’ calculation included in the original complaint was based on a procession route length of ‘approximately 1500 metres’ when the broadcast stated the procession went for six miles (approximately 9,656 metres). Adjusting for procession length, some of the scenarios in the complainant’s calculations could also suggest ‘millions’ were in attendance.

[14]  In any event, if ‘millions’ is inaccurate, it is not, in our view, a material point in the context of this story. The item was focused on the six days of mourning and a funeral procession for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, described as ‘the spectacle Iran wants the world to see’. The funeral cortege was shown travelling slowly through large crowds and into ‘Azadi “Freedom” Square, Tehran’s historic landmark for the ‘79 Revolution and the waves of anti-government protests since then’. The item conveyed images of defiance – clenched fists and red flags – and cries for vengeance. One attendee held a sign picturing United States President Donald Trump with the statement ‘Be ready for death’ and a person interviewed said the signs of revenge would be soon seen ‘at the top of the White House’.

[15]  In this context, the reference to millions of attendees generally, or on the day of the procession to Azadi Square, was not likely to significantly affect the audience’s understanding of the broadcast as a whole. The various images and footage of the funeral cortege enabled viewers to see for themselves the large numbers in attendance. Given the crowds depicted, and the advice that the procession took ‘a six-mile journey’, viewers can be expected to understand that any comment about attendee numbers is likely to be an estimate.

[16]  We are also satisfied the description of attendee numbers in the ‘millions’ would not materially misrepresent ‘apparent public support’ for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as suggested by the complainant. Anti-government protests in Iran have been widely reported across national and international media.⁸ They were also referenced in the item itself, which described the ‘waves of anti-government protests’ which had occurred in Azadi Square. In this context, and given the broadcast’s focus on images of defiance and vengeance rather than the late Supreme Leader’s rule or achievements, the likelihood of a viewer interpreting the reference to ‘millions’ as a show of public support for him was significantly reduced.⁹

Did the broadcaster exercise reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy?

[17]  Having found the broadcast was not materially inaccurate or misleading, we need not consider whether TVNZ took reasonable steps to ensure accuracy. We are satisfied such reasonable steps were taken:

a)  The broadcast included BBC footage of the funeral procession to Azadi Square, with a voiceover by a BBC reporter detailing ‘millions of mourners’ were in attendance. The BBC is a reputable organisation, and it is reasonable for the broadcaster to rely on the BBC report for such a point.¹⁰

b)  As identified by the broadcaster in its decision, other reputable media reported ‘millions’ of mourners at the funeral procession. Further, the procession was held in Tehran, Iran’s capital city with a population of over 9 million.¹¹ In these circumstances there was no obvious reason to question the accuracy of the point.¹²

[18]  For the reasons above, we have identified no harm justifying restriction of the broadcaster’s freedom of expression and do not uphold this complaint under the accuracy standard.

For the above reasons the Authority does not uphold the complaint. 

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Susie Staley
Chair
14 October 2026    

Appendix

The correspondence listed below was received and considered by the Authority when it determined this complaint:

1  Moradi’s original complaint – 7 July 2026

2  TVNZ’s decision – 31 July 2026

3  Moradi’s referral comments to the Authority – 4 August 2026

4  Moradi’s referral to the Authority – 4 August 2026

5  TVNZ’s further comments – 19 August 2026

6  Moradi’s further comments – 1 September 2026

7  TVNZ’s confirmation of no further comments – 8 September 2026

¹ Citing: “IRGC Media Claims 43 Million Attended Khamenei’s Funeral” Iranwire (online ed, 10 July 2026)
² In its decision on the complaint, TVNZ cited: “Slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei buried at Iran’s holiest shrine” Al Jazeera (online ed, 9 July 2026); Patrick Wintour “Tehran teemed with Khamenei mourners, but divisions – and demands for change – remain” Guardian (online ed, 7 July 2026); and Bita Ghaffari and Najmeh Bozorgmehr “Millions to attend funeral procession for Iran supreme leader” Financial Times (online ed, 6 July 2026)
³ Commentary: Accuracy, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand, page 16
⁴ Standard 6: Accuracy, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand
⁵ Introduction, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand, page 4
⁶ Guideline 6.2: Accuracy, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand, page 15
⁷ See: Hamid Babaee ”Official: After 43-Million Funeral Procession for Martyred Leader, Duty to Avenge Has Grown” Fars News Agency (online ed, 12 July 2026)
⁸ For example, see: Mallory Moench “Iran leader says protestors are vandals trying to please Trump” BBC (online ed, 10 January 2026); Maziar Motamedi “Narrative war: Who killed thousands during Iran’s nationwide protests?” Al Jazeera (online ed, 19 January 2026); and Javad Heiran-Nia “Why the Latest Iran Protests Started in the Tehran Bazaar” Stimson (online ed, 27 January 2026)
⁹ For a similar finding, see Grinwis and Radio New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-090 at [17]
¹⁰ Guideline 6.3: Accuracy, Code of Broadasting Standards in New Zealand, page 15
¹¹ Britannica (28 September 2026) “Tehran” <britannica.com>; Sudev Kiyada and Sumanta Sen “Maps and charts of the Iran War” Reuters (online ed, 1 March 2026); and Al Jazeera Centre for Studies (1 January 2026) “Tehran’s ‘Day Zero’: A Threat or an Opportunity to Revive Water Governance and Adaptive Water Policy Making in Iran?” <studies.aljazeera.net>
¹² See also: “Millions mourn Iran’s Ali Khamenei amid historic funeral procession”’ Al Jazeera (online ed, 4 July 2026); Reza Sayah “Inside Iran as mourners honor Khamenei while critics remain quiet” PBS News (online ed, 7 July 2026); and Nadeen Ebrahim “Iran says millions are mourning Khamenei. That’s not the full picture” CNN (online ed, 10 July 2026)