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Iranian State Media Escalates Disinformation Campaign Amid Conflict
Iranian state media has dramatically intensified its disinformation efforts since late February, publishing numerous false battlefield claims supported by manipulated or outdated imagery, according to a new report by news rating organization NewsGuard.
The investigation identified 18 war-related false claims propagated by Iranian sources following the United States and Israel’s attacks on Iran beginning February 28. This represents a significant increase compared to just five false claims detected in the two weeks prior to the military action.
The report highlights a growing trend of Iranian outlets leveraging AI-doctored images to spread misinformation, with many of these manipulated visuals originating from outside Iran’s borders.
One notable example involved Tehran Times, a state-controlled news service, which shared what it claimed was satellite imagery showing the destruction of a U.S. radar installation at Qatar’s Al-Udeid Air Base. The post on social media platform X claimed, “An American radar in Qatar was completely destroyed today in an Iranian drone strike,” accompanied by purported before-and-after images of the attack.
Information warfare analyst Tal Hagin later debunked these claims, revealing that the image was actually a Google Earth photo from February 2025 that had been digitally altered using artificial intelligence. “One way to tell is that all the cars stayed in the exact same location,” Hagin noted in his analysis.
In another instance, Iranian state-linked sources circulated a video allegedly showing a fighter jet being shot down over Tehran on March 4. Telegram channels associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) initially celebrated this as evidence of Iran downing a U.S. F-15 fighter jet. However, the Israeli Air Force later clarified that the footage actually showed an F-35 shooting down an Iranian Yak-130 aircraft.
Mehr, a semi-official Iranian news outlet, falsely reported that four Iranian ballistic missiles had struck the USS Abraham Lincoln, attributing the claim to an IRGC statement. The U.S. Central Command swiftly contradicted this report, stating that not only was the aircraft carrier unharmed, but the missiles hadn’t even come close to their target.
Perhaps most egregiously, an IRGC spokesperson claimed through the military-aligned Tasnim news agency that 650 U.S. troops had been killed or wounded in the first two days of the conflict. CENTCOM refuted these inflated figures, stating that six U.S. service members had actually lost their lives in the confrontation with Iran.
The disinformation campaign extends beyond conventional media channels. A recent Wired investigation discovered hundreds of posts on Elon Musk’s X platform disseminating misleading or false content about the conflict. One viral post, which garnered over 4 million views, purportedly showed ballistic missiles over Dubai but actually contained footage of an Iranian attack on Tel Aviv from October 2024.
Iran’s ability to effectively spread disinformation domestically is facilitated by its near-complete control over citizens’ internet access. On February 28, web infrastructure company Cloudflare reported a “near-complete shutdown” of Iran’s internet, with traffic plummeting 98 percent compared to the previous week.
This communication blackout forces Iranians to rely almost exclusively on state-run radio and television outlets, the government-controlled National Information Network, or Bale, a state-backed messaging application. Through these tightly controlled channels, Iranian authorities continue to disseminate false narratives about alleged military successes.
The implications of this disinformation campaign extend beyond Iran’s borders. NewsGuard reports that Russia has been amplifying Iran’s fabricated claims to undermine Ukraine and its Western allies, including the circulation of false assertions that Iranian missiles have destroyed Ukrainian military bases in Dubai.
As the conflict continues, the deployment of increasingly sophisticated AI-generated content presents a growing challenge for fact-checkers and threatens to further blur the lines between authentic reporting and state-sponsored propaganda.
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8 Comments
This report highlights the growing threat of state-sponsored disinformation campaigns. It’s critical that we remain vigilant and fact-check claims, especially those involving military action or conflict.
Absolutely. Manipulated imagery and false claims can have serious consequences, so it’s important to scrutinize information from state media sources.
This report highlights the need for greater international cooperation and coordination to address the growing threat of state-sponsored disinformation campaigns. It’s a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach.
The use of AI-doctored images to spread misinformation is a concerning development. It’s a reminder that we need robust fact-checking and verification processes to combat the spread of disinformation.
Agreed. The ability to create convincing fake visuals makes it even more challenging to discern truth from fiction. Vigilance and critical thinking are key.
I’m curious to know more about the specific tactics and techniques used by Iranian state media to amplify their disinformation efforts. Understanding their playbook could help us develop more effective countermeasures.
That’s a great point. Analyzing the methods and strategies employed by disinformation actors is crucial for developing robust counter-narratives and fact-checking protocols.
The use of manipulated imagery to support false claims is particularly concerning. It’s a concerning trend that undermines trust in media and public discourse.