Sky News journalist who claimed Israel ‘sworn’ to Iran’s destruction apologises for ‘misspeaking’

A senior journalist at Sky News wrongly claimed during a live broadcast on Thursday that Israel has “sworn” to Iran’s destruction.

The broadcaster’s international affairs editor, Dominic Waghorn - who corrected the mistake in a post on X after his remark drew criticism, stated during the live report from Jerusalem: “For half a century, 45 years, Israel and Iran [have] kind of sworn to each other’s destruction, effectively.”

Waghorn’s equation of Israel and Iran’s geopolitical objectives attracted criticism from viewers including the journalist and commentator Jonathan Sacerdoti.

Sacerdoti – who writes for the JC – posted on X: “Israel has never been sworn to Iran’s destruction, as @SkyNews @DominicWaghorn suggests. The Islamic Republic has, however, been sworn to Israel’s destruction. Why try to equate one nation’s desire not to be wiped out with the other’s desire to wipe it out?”

Waghorn subsequently admitted he “misspoke”, writing on his own X account: “Thanks to all those pointing out I misspoke this evening says Israel is sworn to Iran’s destruction. That is not the case. Feel free to retweet to correct the record. Iranian leaders have called for Israel to be wiped off the map but not vice versa.”

Over the years, Iranian political leaders have repeatedly advocated for Israel’s destruction – in 2000, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that “the cancerous tumour called Israel must be uprooted from the region”.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who served as president of Iran from 2005 to 2013, made numerous threats against Israel during his time in office, repeating the sentiments of the previous ayatollahs and adding in 2006: “The Zionist regime will be wiped out, and humanity will be liberated.”

Sky News has been contacted for comment.