Indian handle quoted by Netanyahu & US: How a false claim fooled the world
A fabricated statement circulating on social media claimed that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Chief Ahmad Vahidi had declared that Iran would continue developing nuclear weapons as long as the US and Israel possessed nuclear arms. The false quote, posted by an Indian X handle on August 5, quickly spread through Israeli and American political and diplomatic circles, reaching Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and White House officials.
Despite no evidence supporting the claim, the statement gained significant traction, with Israeli media outlets reposting it, Israeli PM Netanyahu citing it in a public event, and US officials echoing the false claim on social media. The actual statement by Vahidi, made in 2025, was about Iran's readiness to respond to US and Israeli aggression, not about developing nuclear weapons.
The spread of the false quote highlights the ease with which misleading information can spread through social media, potentially influencing political and diplomatic narratives.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
