Netanyahu cited an unverified claim about Iran's nuclear program
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited in a speech an unconfirmed claim about Iran’s alleged intention to develop nuclear weapons, which had spread via an anonymous account on the social media platform X. According to NDTV World, citing The New York Times, there is no evidence that Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi actually made the statement attributed to him.
On August 5, an anonymous account on X—which, according to The New York Times, is based in India—posted a message claiming that Vahidi, identified as the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, allegedly stated: Iran will not abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons as long as Israel and the United States possess them. The post included a photograph of the general and an AI-generated image of a mushroom cloud.
The claim was shared by Israeli social media accounts, after which Channel 14 aired the quote in English, presenting it as Iran’s first public admission of developing a nuclear bomb. The prime minister’s son, Yair Netanyahu, shared the relevant posts. In less than three hours, the claim was referenced in a speech by Benjamin Netanyahu on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, where he cited it as evidence of Tehran’s intentions.
For more breaking news, follow the UA.News Telegram channel.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, whom NDTV identifies as a representative of the Donald Trump administration, also shared this claim on X. Republican Senator Rick Scott reposted the message, and Fox News covered the statement. Woltz’s post was later deleted without explanation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghai dismissed the viral post as an example of the spread of false information against the Islamic Republic. Without providing any evidence, he accused Israel of being involved in such claims. Iran insists that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only, although it has been under international scrutiny for three decades.
