Amidst the ongoing protests in Iran, a deluge of viral rumors has taken over the internet. Let's unravel some of these whispers and separate fact from fiction.
Rumors: The Double-Edged Sword of Protest
In the midst of the two-week-long mass protests across Iran, rumors have spread like wildfire. Many of these rumors originate from anonymous social media users and have been picked up by media outlets, often for sensationalist headlines.
While some rumors carry a kernel of truth, it's crucial to approach them with skepticism and thoroughly investigate their credibility. In this article, we'll explore a few such rumors that have dominated social media discourse over the past few weeks.
'Transfer of Gold Bars to Russia'
On January 7th, anonymous social media users claimed that gold bars were transferred from the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia. They alleged that Iranian officials were preparing to flee the country, intending to continue their 'lavish' lifestyles in Moscow, should the protesters succeed in toppling the theocratic government that has been in power since 1979.
UK lawmaker and former security minister, Tom Tugendhat, addressed this issue in Parliament, referring to it as "the Ayatollahs preparing to fight and flee." He requested Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to explain the presence of a Russian aircraft in Tehran, which he believes is there to "shape the security and operational environment." Tugendhat also cited reports of the transfer of Iranian assets to various destinations as evidence of an ongoing ouster.
However, there is currently no concrete evidence to support the claim that gold bars were transferred from Iran to Russia, nor has it been confirmed by any independent source. Some of these reports may be based on events that occurred in countries with similar circumstances to Iran, where a 'dictator' fled after witnessing protests. For instance, it has been reported that Bashar al-Assad transferred large sums of money and gold to Russia when he fled Syria after a surprise rebellion led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) toppled his government in early December 2024. Additionally, during the Islamic Revolution in 1978, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, took millions of dollars in cash and gold out of the country when he departed on December 26th.
'Abbas Araghchi Has Fled to Lebanon with His Family'
Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, traveled to Lebanon as part of his regional tours. It was reported that on this trip, he took his wife and young child to Beirut, which sparked speculation about his potential plans to flee the country.
Given the current state of relations between Tehran and Beirut, and the reception Araghchi received in Lebanon, it is unclear whether emigration to Lebanon would be a viable option for him should the regime be overthrown. Nevertheless, Araghchi returned to Iran after his trip and, on Saturday, received his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran, where they held bilateral talks.
'Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is Ready to Flee to Russia'
A recent report by The Times garnered significant attention when it claimed that Khamenei would flee to Russia if domestic unrest intensified. The prestigious UK media outlet stated that the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic would leave the country to avoid capture, should he sense a defection within the army, the Revolutionary Guard, or other security forces.
While the report was published by a reputable source, there is currently no evidence to support this claim. Additionally, Khamenei appeared in a speech to his supporters on Friday, where he asserted that he "won't back down" in the face of protests. It seems unlikely that the Iranian leader would make such a decision, especially given his recent public appearance and statements.
An anonymous account on the social media platform X also published a post with an image of Khamenei, claiming he had been wounded while fleeing to the airport. While this post gained traction among those eager for such news, there is no credible or reliable information to support this claim.
In recent years, the leaders of Ukraine and Syria, following domestic protests, decided to seek refuge in Russia under the protection of President Vladimir Putin.
'Ghalibaf's Family Seeking French Visas'
Emmanuel Rastegar, an Iranian-French journalist and writer, claimed on France's Channel 1 broadcaster that the family of the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, is trying to obtain French visas. According to Rastegar, these individuals are attempting to secure visas for their families through an Iranian-French lawyer in Paris.
However, Rastegar did not provide any details to support his claim, merely citing France's hosting of Ruhollah Khomeini prior to the 1979 Iranian Revolution as the reason for choosing France. This claim is particularly intriguing given that France is unlikely to be considered a safe host for senior Iranian officials, especially considering the numerous problems between the EU member state and the Iranian government over the past two decades.
In recent years, Canada has been a favored destination for the families of Iranian officials, with a number of them or their family members obtaining Canadian residency. As for Ghalibaf's alleged pursuit of a French visa, no credible report has been issued by any French government body or reputable sources to confirm the validity of this claim.
A day after the publication of this report, the Media Centre of the Islamic Consultative Assembly dismissed these reports as "fake and false," accusing "foreign enemies" of exploiting the people's legitimate demands to incite chaos and unrest. While a denial from the Iranian parliament is not definitive proof of the report's falsity, it does warrant further investigation and clarification from the relevant authorities.
Do Rumors Fuel or Hinder the Protests?
While the spread of rumors may aim to galvanize more protesters to take to the streets, some believe that a review of protest movements over the past few decades suggests that such tactics often benefit the government and harm the protesters. For example, during the 2009 protests, exaggerated reports about the deaths of certain individuals, spread by ill-intentioned users, caused reputable media outlets to republish these stories without careful verification. After a significant wave of news had formed, Iranian officials published documents showing that those particular reports were false, potentially as part of a government-fabricated scenario to discredit media outlets.
In this article, Euronews has reported on a few rumors circulating on social media and does not endorse them in any way. It's crucial to approach such rumors with a critical eye and seek credible sources to verify the information.
