At least one clip purporting to show Iranian women as victims was reshared by the US president — but Al Jazeera correspondent Soraya Lennie says some of the images circulating online are synthetic or doctored. The mix of genuine and AI-made visuals is being used to push a narrative that could justify foreign action. The spread has intensified a propaganda battle over Iran and raised fresh questions about how artificial intelligence is reshaping information during crises; the immediate risk is political: false or manipulated visuals can harden public opinion and make military options easier to sell.

What happened

Over recent days, videos and still images showing women identified as victims of Iran's government have gone viral on social media. Some of that material is real; other items are synthetic, created or altered using artificial intelligence. Soraya Lennie, a correspondent who analysed the items, describes how both genuine and fake images are now circulating side by side and being presented as proof of state wrongdoing.

At least one of the items was shared by the US president, the amplification giving it far greater reach and turning a social-media artefact into a matter of international politics. The president’s reposting hasn't only broadened the audience for the visuals but also added weight to calls for a tougher response from foreign governments.

That mix — authentic pain and manufactured scenes — is proving potent. The materials are being used as part of a broader messaging campaign that seeks to frame Iran in a particular way and to shape international reaction.

How synthetic victims are made and spread

Advances in generative AI mean that convincing audio, video and images can be produced quickly and cheaply. Tools that once required technical skill are now available to many users. That changes the cost and speed of creating propaganda.

A manipulated clip can be produced in hours and then amplified through shares, reposts and paid promotion.

Mastheads

Social networks act as amplifiers. A single high-profile resharing can send content to millions within hours. And when political leaders boost that content it crosses from niche channels into mainstream political debate.

Detection tools exist, but they're playing catch-up. Analysts say patterns such as inconsistent lighting, mismatched audio and small glitches can betray a synthetic origin. Yet deliberate efforts to blend real footage with synthetic elements make detection harder. Lennie’s reporting shows how some fake pieces are designed to mimic genuine scenes so closely that casual viewers — and sometimes well-placed politicians — treat them as fact.

Why victims are used as leverage

Images of suffering are powerful. They compress complex events into a single emotional instant. That makes them valuable for those who want to rally support for a policy or military move. According to Lennie’s analysis, Iranian women — whether portrayed accurately or not — are being used as symbols to sell interventionist narratives.

Framing a country through the lens of victimhood creates a moral case for action. A compelling image or clip can shift public opinion by making an abstract policy debate feel immediate and personal. That shift matters in democracies where leaders need public support to authorise military or coercive measures.

Political actors on multiple sides recognise this. They craft messages to trigger sympathy, outrage or a sense of moral duty. When synthetic media is added to the mix, those messages can be amplified and distorted. The result is a contested information space where truth and manipulation coexist.

Political and security implications

The immediate danger is that fabricated or misrepresented content will be treated as justification for action. If policymakers or influential political figures rely on viral visuals without robust verification, decisions about sanctions, strikes or other coercive steps could be rushed.

That risk isn't hypothetical. The viral spread of such material has already intensified the propaganda battle and could make military options easier to sell if left unchecked.

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Lennie warns that, whether real or fabricated, images of Iranian women are being used to sell foreign intervention — a dynamic amplified when a single high-profile resharing, such as by the US president, turns a social-media artefact into international politics.

This article was created with AI assistance.