Israel’s Channel 14 then published the claim, portraying it as the first public acknowledgement that Iran was working towards a nuclear bomb.
INDIA: The first known appearance
On August 5, an India-based X account posts a quotation attributed to IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi claiming Iran would continue working towards nuclear weapons while the US and Israel possessed them.
There is no evidence Vahidi made the statement.
INDIA AGAIN: The claim gets repeated
Around two hours later, another Indian account posts the same purported quotation, helping the claim begin its journey beyond the original source.
ISRAELI SOCIAL MEDIA: A major amplification
Mossad Commentary, a prominent Israeli account with no known connection to the Mossad intelligence agency, circulates the claim and argues that it shows Iran has no intention of abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
ISRAELI TELEVISION: The claim looks more authoritative
Channel 14 publishes the quotation and portrays it as the first time Iran has publicly acknowledged pursuing a nuclear bomb.
Its English-language post attracts hundreds of thousands of views.
NETANYAHU: From social media to a PM’s speech
Within hours, Benjamin Netanyahu cites the purported remarks in a speech at Mount Herzl.
“We heard today the commander of the I.R.G.C., Vahidi, explicitly declaring Iran’s intention to keep developing nuclear weapons,” he says.
UNITED STATES: Politicians amplify it
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz reposts the claim. Republican Senator Rick Scott also shares it.
FOX NEWS: The claim reaches US television
Fox News discusses the quotation on air as potentially significant evidence of Iran’s nuclear intentions.
THEN THE UNRAVELLING: Questions emerge
Researchers and journalists find no credible Iranian source for the supposed statement.
Waltz’s post disappears.
Fox News later tells viewers the quotation was “unverified and inaccurate” and says it regrets the error.
THE LESSON: ‘Narrative laundering’
A fabricated claim moved from social media in India through increasingly prominent sources until politicians and major media organisations treated it as credible — illustrating how repetition can give a falsehood the appearance of verification.
Then it reached Washington
How a falsehood gains credibility
A Senior Associate Editor with more than 30 years in the media, Stephen N.R. curates, edits and publishes impactful stories for Gulf News — both in print and online — focusing on Middle East politics, student issues and explainers on global topics.
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