‘Avuncular and magnanimous’ – New York Times ridiculed for Khamenei obituary

Conservatives rip the New York Times for obituary describing Iran’s slain supreme leader as a “magnanimous” and “avuncular” figure.

By World Israel News Staff

The New York Times drew criticism over the weekend after it published an obituary for Iran’s supreme leader which some argued grossly mischaracterized the slain ayatollah’s legacy at the helm of the Islamic Republic from 1989 until his killing on Saturday.

Entitled “Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hard-Line Cleric Who Made Iran a Regional Power, Is Dead at 86,” the obituary acknowledged that the radical Shi’ite leader “ruled with an iron fist,” but also claimed that he displayed “an avuncular and magnanimous aloofness.”

The headline quickly sparked controversy, with conservative reactions on social media ranging from mockery to outrage.

“The NYT is garbage,” wrote the Heritage Foundation’s Jason Bedrick, a former New Hampshire state lawmaker.

Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Montana) offered the Times his recommendation for a revised headline, suggesting the paper ignored the most relevant elements of Khamenei’s legacy.

“NYT got the headline wrong. Let me help: Radical Islamic terrorist who murdered thousands of Americans got what he deserved. There we go.”

Chaya Raichik, operator of the Libs of TikTok account, compared the Times‘ obituaries for Khamenei and “Dilbert” creator Scott Adams.

The Times headline for Adams’ obituary wrote that his comic strip lampooning office jobs “was a sensation until he made racist comments on his podcast.”

“Scum,” Raichik wrote of the NYT.

Shortly afterwards, the Times‘ X account pushed back on Raichik’s criticism in a response to her post.

“The Times’s obituaries report and reflect lives in full, illuminating why, in our judgment, they were significant. We fairly and accurately include the newsworthy details of each life and death, and don’t treat them dishonestly to score points like you’re trying to do here.”

Notably, the Times headline did not reference Khamenei’s role in the mass-killing of thousands of Iranian protesters earlier this year, though the obituary acknowledged his use of “brutal tactics” to suppress the dissident movement.

Tom Fitton, president of the conservative activist group Judicial Watch, responded to the NYT headline with the phrase “mostly peaceful,” a reference to news reports which described the 2020 Kenosha riots as being “fiery but mostly peaceful.”