AI-generated videos claiming to show protests in Iran are spreading rapidly online, as social media users fill an information vacuum created by the country’s internet restrictions, researchers said on Wednesday.
US disinformation watchdog NewsGuard said it identified seven AI-generated videos depicting the unrest, produced by both pro- and anti-government actors, which together have amassed around 3.5 million views across platforms.
One clip shared on Elon Musk’s X platform shows women protesters smashing a vehicle belonging to the Basij, the paramilitary force used to suppress demonstrations. An anti-regime post featuring the video attracted nearly 720,000 views.
Other AI videos, circulated by anti-regime users in the United States on X and TikTok, depict Iranian protesters symbolically renaming streets after President Donald Trump. One clip shows a protester replacing a street sign with “Trump St” as others cheer, accompanied by a caption claiming: “Iranian protestors are renaming the streets after Trump.”
Trump has recently spoken about supporting Iranians amid a crackdown that rights groups say has left at least 3,428 people dead. On Wednesday, he said he had been told the killings had stopped, but added he would “watch it and see” regarding potential military action.
Pro-government users have also shared AI-generated videos purporting to show large-scale counterprotests across the Islamic Republic.
Experts say the surge reflects the growing prevalence of “hallucinated” visual content during major news events, often eclipsing authentic footage. In Iran’s case, creators are exploiting an information void caused by government-imposed internet blackouts aimed at suppressing demonstrations.
“There’s a lot of news — but no way to get it because of the internet blackout,” said NewsGuard analyst Ines Chomnalez. “Foreign social media users are turning to AI video generators to advance their own narratives about the unfolding chaos.”
The fabricated clips underscore how AI tools are increasingly used to distort fast-moving news. Similar tactics have fueled misleading narratives around recent events, including the reported capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and a deadly shooting by immigration agents in Minneapolis.
AFP fact-checkers have also uncovered mislabelled images tied to the Iran protests. One months-old video claimed to show demonstrations in Iran was actually filmed in Greece in November 2025. Another, said to depict a protester tearing down an Iranian flag, was recorded in Nepal during last year’s protests that toppled the government.
