Fact check: Does this clip show Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei at command center? Video's authenticity remains in question

A closer examination of the clip reveals visual inconsistencies, including blurred face, uneven lighting, and abrupt transitions — a common indicators of AI manipulation.

A video widely shared on social media claims to show Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, entering what looks like a military operations room where a large image of Israel’s Dimona nuclear reactor is displayed.

The footage was first shared on X by GBX_Press with the caption: “Iran releases a new video showing for the first time Mojtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, on his way to the military operations room. A large image of the Dimona nuclear reactor site in Israel, including its coordinates, is displayed in the room.” The post described it as “breaking news”.

The clip surfaced amid rising tensions in West Asia and growing chatter about Khamenei being inured. However, there is no official confirmation of its authenticity, and observers believe it may be fabricated.

BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh said the video is artificial. “It's AI, and I can't find it on any of Khamenei's official accounts, or on any major Iranian media outlets. But I don't think it was meant to be misleading. It's just war propaganda,” he said.

DH analysed the clip using Hive Moderation, an AI detection tool, which indicated that the video could be AI generated.

Image showing viral clip analysis

Google’s AI assistant Gemini, in its assessment, noted: “In several frames, there are glitches, particularly with the lighting and the text on the screens. These visual inconsistencies are sometimes characteristic of AI-generated content.” However, it added that it cannot conclusively determined whether the video is AI-generated.

A closer examination of the footage reveals visual inconsistencies, including blurred face, uneven lighting, and abrupt transitions, a common indicators of AI manipulation.

Furthermore, there has been no confirmation from Iranian state media outlets such as the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), or Tasnim News Agency. No credible international media organisation has independently verified Khamenei’s presence in the video as of now.

Responding to a user query, X’s AI chatbot Grok stated: “AI. This is a generated deepfake video showing a figure styled as Mojtaba Khamenei in a command center targeting Dimona. Fact-checkers (MEMRI, India Today, others) have flagged identical clips as AI propaganda amid the Iran-Israel tensions — no real footage exists.”

Dimona reference raises speculation

A prominent feature in the video is a screen displaying coordinates believed to point to Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility. Reports in March noted missile activity in the vicinity, prompting the International Atomic Energy Agency to urge caution.

The inclusion of imagery referencing the Dimona reactor, along with visible coordinates, has further intensified speculation about potential military escalation.

Meanwhile, the United States has claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei was seriously injured in joint US-Israeli strikes that reportedly killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. More than three weeks after his reported appointment as the Supreme Leader, he has not appeared in public and has issued only written statements, adding to uncertainty and rumours about his condition.