Iranian state media distorts truth by recycling conflict footage

As tensions escalated in the Middle East, particularly between Iran and Israel, Iranian state media outlets resorted to the practice of reusing outdated visual content to misrepresent the current situation. For instance, on June 13, 2025, Iran's state-run broadcaster IRIB TV1 aired dramatic footage of missiles exploding over the sea, which had no connection to Iran. A reverse image search revealed that the video, initially posted on a YouTube channel called Navy Lookout in March 2022, actually depicted Russian missile launches in the Black Sea. This misleading portrayal served to further escalate the conflict narrative across TV and social media platforms. A day after airing the video, multiple social media accounts falsely presented it as evidence of Iranian missile launches, further fueling misinformation. In subsequent days, state media continued to manipulate imagery to maintain support for the government and its stance against Israel. On June 17, Press TV shared a photo of a supposed Israeli drone downed near the Natanz nuclear facility but was, in fact, reused from a previous event involving Pakistan. The outlet also shared another image, reported to be of Tel Aviv skyline explosions, which was later confirmed to show smoke from a Russian attack in Ukraine. Each instance highlighted how state-run media outlets in Iran have made use of inaccurate historical visual content to craft misleading narratives about ongoing conflicts. This trend of misinformation is part of a broader strategy employed by Iranian media to portray resilience against alleged external threats, particularly from Israel. By showcasing outdated or misrepresented footage as current events, these outlets aim to influence public opinion, garner domestic support for the government's actions, and deflect attention from internal issues. Such tactics have sparked international criticism for undermining trust in media and propagating false information in a sensitive geopolitical context. In the realm of social media, these videos and images have gained traction quickly, illustrating how effectively misinformation can proliferate online. The use of recycled content and misrepresented events distracts the public from the real implications of the escalating situation while shaping a narrative that supports government efforts against perceived aggression from Israel.