Key facts
- A fabricated quote attributed to IRGC chief Ahmad Vahidi regarding Iran's nuclear weapons development was traced to an Indian pro-Israel X account.
- The quote was amplified by Israeli media, including Channel 14, and reposted by Yair Netanyahu.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the alleged statement in a speech, warning about Iran's nuclear plans.
- The fabricated quote spread to the US, with figures like Mike Waltz and Mark Levin amplifying it before some later deleted or clarified their posts.
- Fox News initially reported the quote, later clarifying it was taken out of context and amplified.
An alleged quote about Iran's nuclear weapons, attributed to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief Ahmad Vahidi, was repeated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a speech, despite the statement having no identified primary source and later being traced to an Indian pro-Israel X account. The investigation by Israeli news outlet Ynet and New York Times journalist Ronen Bergman revealed that the quote was initially posted on August 5 by an Indian Hindu-nationalist and pro-Israel X account named Ritika.
The quote stated: "There will be no discussion over enriched uranium or nuclear weapons. As long as the United States and Israel possess nuclear weapons, we will continue working on them for our national security. If they disarm, we will disarm." It rapidly circulated online, with an unofficial X account, Mossad Commentary, reposting the claim to its over 1 million followers. Israel's Channel 14 also repeated the quote, describing it as the first direct admission by an Iranian official of developing a nuclear bomb, though it provided no primary source. Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister's eldest son, subsequently reposted content from these Israeli accounts to his nearly 300,000 followers.
Approximately two hours after Yair Netanyahu's repost, Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the alleged statement during a ceremony in Jerusalem, saying, "Today, we heard the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Vahidi, explicitly declare Iran’s intention to continue developing nuclear weapons - ‘continue’, as he put it." The alleged quote then spread to the United States, with US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz and conservative commentator Mark Levin reposting the Channel 14 report before later deleting or clarifying their posts. Fox News initially reported the statement, linking it to intensified concerns about Iran's nuclear program, but later clarified that Vahidi's remarks "were previously taken out of context and amplified as comments made this week." Asian News International, a major Indian news outlet, also repeated the claim, citing Israeli media.
Ynet's investigation suggested the quote served Netanyahu's narrative against a potential US-Iran deal, noting similar accusations of disinformation distribution in the past. Iran's embassy in India had previously accused Indian media of spreading false information and participating in external propaganda efforts.