iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 18h

X says that it has suspended nearly 13,000 inauthentic accounts linked to Russia, China and Iran that had been posting about US politics ahead of the midterm elections.

https://x.com/GlobalAffairs/status/2110430142199644314

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

An AI-enhanced version of a grainy image that appears to be authentic and shows several men being arrested in relation to the ongoing incident at RAF Fairford is currently being shared on multiple platforms. A SynthID check reveals that the enhanced image was generated with OpenAI.

AI-enhanced version of an authentic image showing arrests at RAF Fairford

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The official social media accounts of Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei have for the second time since March published an image of him that appears to have been manipulated with Google AI. He has not been seen in public since being appointed Iran's head of state in March.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

We can now say with a high degree of confidence that OpenAI was used to generate the higher-res version, and Google AI to generate the lower-res version. But we still do not know which version came first and which exact image was either enhanced or degraded during the circulation timeline.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Meanwhile, Emmanuelle Saliba from GetReal Security found a post on Threads with the grainy image, published on 14 September at 20:08 BST (15:08 EDT). A check shows it was created with Google AI, which means we now have positive SynthID for both the grainy version and the higher-res version.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I eventually found what seemed to be one of the earliest versions of the image, a thumbnail for a video by a political YouTuber, posted on 14 September at 18:18 BST (13:18 EDT). The positive? This version does have OpenAI SynthID. The negative? It doesn't seem to be the same as the grainy version.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

In order to find an answer, we have to run a detailed Google reverse image search (Google Lens). Because the image has been widely circulated across multiple platforms, that means going through hundreds of page links in order to find the earliest post on the web that features the image.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

But then there's another version of the image circulating that is grainier. And in this version, Harp does not seem to have six fingers, or at least that's not clear enough. What's more, pop this version into Google's and OpenAI's SynthID checkers, and both come back negative.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

This was the first version of this image that I saw online. Now, this is a pretty straightforward debunk. OpenAI's own verification tool detects SynthID (digitial watermarks embedded in the AI image at the time of generation) in it. Also, Harp has six fingers. Clearly and AI fake.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Thread: Two different versions of this AI-generated image purporting to show President Trump and his assistant Natalie Harp kissing went viral this week, generating millions of views across multiple platforms. Despite being fake, this wasn't a straightforward AI image to debunk. I'll explain why.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

A huge fire and thick columns of smoke are seen at a major Wildberries warehouse in Koledino, nearly 40km south of the centre of Moscow, following an apparent Ukrainian drone strike this morning. Video: t.me/exilenova_plus/28974 Location: 55.3865168,37.5721367

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Footage shows the moment an apparent Ukrainian drone strikes a major Wildberries warehouse in Koledino, nearly 40km south of the centre of Moscow, this morning. Source: t.me/exilenova_plus/28947 Location: 55.3902692,37.5854328

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

These two widely shared images claiming to show the IDF restoring a statue of Jesus that was previously damaged by an Israeli soldier near Debl, Lebanon, are AI-generated and fake. A Google SynthID check finds watermarks that suggest both images were made with Google AI.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

This image, which claims to show one of the airmen rescued by US special forces from Iran, has racked up millions of views after being shared by some major influencers, and even by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The image is AI-generated and features multiple errors.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

On the first day of the Iran war, at least two strikes hit a residential block and a sports hall in the town of Lamerd, killing 21 people, including four children. Our investigation reveals the attack was likely a US strike, carried out with new generation Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM).

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Footage published by Iranian media today shows damage to Chehel Sotoon, a 17th century, Safavid-era landmark palace and garden located in the historic centre of Isfahan, after air strikes in its vicinity. The Persian garden that surrounds the palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

The school building is located located immediately to the north-east of the IRGC base. Satellite imagery from 2013 appears to show the school building was part of the same compound, before a wall is seen in 2016 separating it from the base.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Two videos filmed in the immediate aftermath of the attack show multiple plumes of smoke within an IRGC base and medical clinic near the school, as well as the school's top floor. The location of smoke plumes in videos correspond to visible damage in satellite imagery.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Satellite imagery by Planet Labs shows at least five buildings with visible craters and black scorch marks in the area. "[It] seems it was intentional to hit the area," a satellite analyst said.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

This image, viewed millions of times on Instagram, X and Telegram, purports to show an attack on a US base near Erbil International Airport. The image is AI-generated. Google's SynthID finds watermarks in the image indicating it was made with Google AI.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

This video, viewed 4 million times, claims to show multiple fires in the centre of Tel Aviv tonight caused by Iranian missiles. This video is old and unrelated to the war. It shows celebrations by Algerian footbal fans in 2020.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

This video, viewed half a million times, claims to show Iranian drone strikes on tower blocks in Bahrain. But it's AI-generated and fake. Apart form figures magically disappearing in the clip, the fire in the tower on the left somehow stops on its own.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

This video, viewed 9.5 million times, claims to show a US F15 fighter jet being shot down by an Iranian missile in Kuwait. The video is not real. It's from a military video game.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

This image, which purports to show the US embassy in Riyadh on fire after widely reported drone strikes, is AI-generated and fake. Google's SynthID tool detects watermarks in the image that indicate it was made with Google AI.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

THREAD: Misinformation in the Iran/US/Israel war - 3 March This viral video claims to show the aftermath of a reported drone attack on the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, tonight. But the video was posted last week to TikTok, and shows an unrelated car accident in Riyadh.

https://www.tiktok.com/@ah_y2213/video/7610066316413734151

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Here's the moment a tearful host on Iranian state TV confirms that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US and Israeli air strikes. The Iranian government has announced 40 days of mourning and a week-long holiday to mark Khamenei's death.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

BREAKING: Iranian state TV has confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in Israeli and US air strikes today. A tearful host on state TV's channel one announced the news live on air.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

A plume of smoke can be seen on Shriati Street in Tehran, a close distance from Iran's Ministry of Intelligence. The building in the background is Saman Tower. Location: 35.749338, 51.448950

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Smoke rises near Jomhouri Avenue in central Tehran following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. People can be heard asking each other if the Supreme Leader's office was targeted. Location: 35.696078, 51.391826

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

THREAD: Verified videos of the Iran/US/Israel war - 28 February Smoke rises in the air near Tehran's City Theatre metro station following air strikes by the US and Israel. Location: 35.7011766,51.4054869

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

If you want to get rid of some incriminating documents you don't want anyone to see, the best course of action is to hide them on the top floors of the most famous twin towers in the world and hit them with two hijacked passenger planes.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Previously unseen photos showing Jeffrey Epstein’s body lying on a stretcher and being attended to by medics and a close-up of his neck showing visible signs of injuriy in the immediate aftermath of his death have appeared in the newly released Epstein files.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

A number of AI-generated images have been circulating on social media falsely claiming to show a young Zohran Mamdani and his mother posing alongside Jeffrey Epstein. This has led to Alex Jones and others baselessly claiming that the fake images indicate Mamdani might be related to Epstein.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

We analysed 392 photos of victims leaked to us after they were displayed in a mortuary in Tehran and were able to identify 326 people. Sources claimed the true number of dead at the mortuary ran into the thousands. Many of the victims were too disfigured to be identified.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

During a speech in Tehran today, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "several thousand people were killed" during the recent protests by those he described as "seditionists", confirming for the first time that the death toll from the protests is in the thousands.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Iran's government has imposed a near total internet shutdown on more than 90 million Iranians since last Thursday, almost entirely cutting them off from the outside world for more than a week. In such an environment, it's become extremely difficult to know what's happening inside Iran.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

There is no evidence that China has moved its aircraft carrier Fujian to the Strait of Taiwan following the seizure of Nicolas Maduro by the US.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

This viral video claims to show US flags being waved in Venezuela to celebrate the US seizure of Nicolas Maduro. While the video is recent and was posted by a TikTok user over the weekend, a simple geolocation shows that the gathering took place in Panama City, not Venezuela.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5zZ9kFYAoYhBmXf5A

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

This video claims to show a billboard of Nicolas Maduro being brought down by Venezuelans after the US seizure of him. But the video is from July 2024, when opposition protests erupted across Venezuela after a highly disputed presidential election. Fact-check: @davidpuente.it

https://www.instagram.com/reels/C-BkPiePj41/

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

THREAD: Viral misinformation on US seizure of Nicolas Maduro - 5 January This video claims to show Venezuelans toppling and dragging a statue of former president Hugo Chavez. But the video was filmed during anti-Maduro protests in July 2024 and the statue is Indio Coromoto.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=502497765600290

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

This video claims to show a US military helicopter during the operation in Venezuela to capture Maduro. However, the video is from 2023, and shows a Boeing CH-47 Chinook during a military exercise in Miami.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9kRfyLZv5A

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

More AI-generated images of Nicolas Maduro being detained by the US military and transferred to the US have been shared online. These two images have both been created with AI and aren't real.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

This video, viewed over 600,000 times, claims to show US troops landing in Caracas to capture Maduro. The video is from June 2025, showing US Special Forces preparing for the army's 250th anniversary parade. Fact-check: @lgalrao.bsky.social

https://x.com/BrandonStraka/status/1932522480662688090

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

This video, viewed millions of times on TikTok, Facebook and X, claims to show Venezuelans taking to the street to thank the US for detaining Maduro. But the video is a combination of four AI-generated clips and was first posted on TikTok by a user who frequently shares AI videos. It's not real.

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

THREAD: Viral misinformation on US capture of Nicolas Maduro - 4 January This video, shared by Alex Jones and others, falsely claims to show millions of Venezuelans in Caracas celebrating Maduro's capture. In fact, it shows anti-Maduro protests in July 2024 over a highly disputed election.

https://www.instagram.com/reels/C-D5r9RBkY9/

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

This widely shared post, which claims to show Venezuelans celebrating the fall of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, is false. The video was actually filmed in Miami, Florida, and not in Venezuela.

https://x.com/nickshirleyy/status/2007485612241367156

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

More AI-generated images of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro being detained by US military and drug enforcement agents have been shared online. They are all fake and created by an Instagram user who makes and posts generative AI content.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTDBoRYEUYg/

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Shayan Sardarizadeh @shayan86.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

This video, viewed millions of times, falsely claims to show the US military operation in Venezuela this morning. In fact, the video is old, and was posted to TikTok back in November 2025.

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