Iran COVID-19 Disinformation
Iranian linked assets have promoted a number of different COVID-19 conspiracies.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the US of having created a "special version" of COVID which was “based on Iranian genetic information they have gathered”.[1]
The International Union of Virtual Media or IUVM has been active for years and has had its assets repeatedly taken down by Facebook, Google and Twitter as it spreads pro-Iranian deceptive messages. They accused the US of having created the COVID-19 virus and hindering Iran's response through sanctions.[2]
Other state media outlets and government officials have also promoted misinformation surrounding the virus, and the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. 92% of Iranian government tweets or those from state media about the Pfizer vaccine were negative.[3] The Iranian state media argues that western vaccine producers ignored safety concerns.[4]
- ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-coronavirus-us-target-country-special-version-covid-19-a9417206.html
- ↑ https://graphika.com/reports/irans-iuvm-turns-to-coronavirus/
- ↑ https://securingdemocracy.gmfus.org/russia-china-iran-covid-vaccine-disinformation/
- ↑ https://securingdemocracy.gmfus.org/russia-china-iran-covid-vaccine-disinformation/