AI Deception Unpacking The Fake Iranian Spy Image

Following reports from Iranian media about the arrest of two individuals tied to Israel's intelligence agency amidst a 12-day conflict, a startling image began circulating online. The blurry photo, showing a man seemingly strapped to a rocket, was shared with the false claim that it depicted Tehran's method for "dispatching" spies. However, a closer look reveals clear signs that the image was generated by artificial intelligence.

The Viral Claim An Israeli Spy on a Rocket

The image spread rapidly on social media platforms, with one caption on X from June 16 proclaiming, "Iranian media publishes the dispatch of a Mossad agent in this manner." It was reposted over 6,000 times.

The photo appears to show a man bound to a large rocket, which has what looks like a distorted Iranian flag attached to it.

A Backdrop of Real World Conflict

This claim surfaced shortly after Iranian media reported that police had arrested two people connected to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency on June 15 (archived link).

These arrests occurred during a period of intense fighting between the two nations. The conflict was triggered by Israeli strikes on June 13 that hit Iranian nuclear sites, killing several senior military and scientific personnel (archived link).

Iran's response included waves of drones and missiles, and the events sparked a major hunt for spies within the country (archived link). The conflict, which ended with a US-proposed ceasefire on June 24, led to over 1,000 deaths in Iran and at least 28 in Israel.

Unmasking the Deception Telltale AI Flaws

The provocative image was shared widely, not just on X, but also on Facebook in English, Bengali, and Arabic, as well as on YouTube. While some users recognized it as AI-generated, others believed it to be real, with one commenting, "That's a war crime. Iran deserves everything that they'll get."

However, there are no official reports of Iran using such methods. Simple reverse image searches led to a higher-resolution version on Facebook, where the flaws become obvious. The supposed Iranian flag on the rocket is a nonsensical mix of colors and symbols (archived link).

Furthermore, the man's head appears disfigured, and the railings on the launch platform are a jumbled, illogical mess. Despite the rapid progress of AI, such visual inconsistencies are still the most reliable clues for identifying inauthentic images.

AFP has debunked numerous other false claims related to the Iran-Israel war, which can be found here.