Iran’s state media has ramped up disinformation efforts, particularly following U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28. A report by NewsGuard revealed 18 false war-related claims from Iran since that date, compared to five false claims in the two weeks prior. This spread of misinformation includes the use of AI-manipulated images.
For example, the Tehran Times released a purported satellite image of a U.S. radar destroyed in Qatar, which was later identified as an AI-altered Google Earth image. Other misleading claims involved incorrect videos of downed fighter jets and ballistic missile attacks on the USS Abraham Lincoln, which U.S. Central Command refuted. Additionally, some war images were traced back to video games like Arma 3.
Social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), have seen a surge in misleading posts about the conflict, with many gaining significant traction. A substantial factor in Iran’s ability to disseminate disinformation is the government’s tight control over internet access, severely limiting citizens’ exposure to foreign media.
Despite these prohibitions, Iranian state media continues to propagate a multitude of fake claims, utilizing disinformation to further political narratives, including leveraging claims to assist Russia in undermining Ukraine and its allies.
