Iran’s regime is once again showing the world exactly how it likes to play the game—behind screens, through fake accounts, and with a heavy dose of propaganda. According to a new report from Clemson University, dozens of social media accounts linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been spreading anti-Israel and anti-American narratives online during the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
The report identified at least 62 social media accounts across platforms such as X, Bluesky, and Instagram that were connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Interestingly—and not exactly surprising—many of these accounts claimed to belong to users from the Americas, England, Scotland, or Ireland. Apparently, pretending to be someone else on the internet is the latest strategy coming out of Tehran. Who would’ve guessed?
Most of the accounts were less than a year old, though some date back to December 2023. According to the Clemson report, these profiles were systematically amplifying divisive political content and spreading disinformation aligned with narratives pushed by the Iranian regime. In simple terms: stir up arguments, divide people, and push propaganda that benefits Tehran.
Before military strikes carried out by Donald Trump and Israel against Iran, many of these accounts focused on polarizing domestic issues. But after February 28—when surprise airstrikes targeted Iranian positions—the messaging quickly shifted. Suddenly the accounts were pushing pro-Tehran narratives and trying to shape conversations about the conflict. Funny how quickly those “ordinary users” all seemed to develop the exact same talking points.
The campaign didn’t stop with text posts. The report says these accounts also circulated AI-generated images and misleading videos, spreading inaccurate information about the ongoing strikes. When propaganda teams discover artificial intelligence, the result is exactly what you’d expect: a flood of digital misinformation meant to confuse the public and distort reality.
Researchers described the activity as a coordinated inauthentic social-media campaign targeting online discussions about the war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Monitoring these types of operations, the report emphasized, is critical—especially during global crises when foreign influence campaigns attempt to exploit political divisions.
Once the findings were made public, Meta and Bluesky moved to respond. Bluesky confirmed that all the accounts listed in the report were removed for violating its policies. Meta also reiterated that it prohibits coordinated inauthentic behavior and organizations tied to terrorism, noting that some of the accounts were inactive and the rest had fewer than 2,000 followers combined.
Clemson researchers ultimately traced 47 accounts on X, nine on Instagram, and five on Bluesky to the network. Despite relatively small followings, the impact was far from insignificant. The X accounts alone produced 59,403 original posts, many of which were reposted thousands of times and potentially reached millions of users.
So while Tehran may try to wage its battles online with fake profiles and recycled propaganda, this investigation shows that these operations don’t stay hidden forever. When researchers expose these networks and platforms act against them, it sends a clear message: manipulation and disinformation may spread fast—but the truth still has a way of catching up. And that’s good news for anyone who believes in transparency, accountability, and strong leadership. ??
