Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Massive gathering at Iranian President Raisi’s funeral procession.
Fact
2020 image from the funeral of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash earlier this week, was laid to rest at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad on Thursday, May 23, 2024. Visuals showing mourners thronging the streets of the city for Raisi funeral flooded social media platforms. One such image, that was widely shared on social media purportedly showed an aerial view of the Iranian President’s funeral procession. However, Newschecker found that the photograph is old and has been used in a false context.
Such posts can be seen here, here and here.
Also Read: Old Images Falsely Linked To Chopper Crash Killing Iranian President Raisi
Fact Check/Verification
A Google lens search on the viral image led us to a report by Iran-based Tasnim News Agency, dated January 5, 2020, titled ‘Iranians Bid Farewell to Assassinated Gen. Soleimani in Mashhad.’
Displaying an image similar to the viral photograph, the report stated, “Hundreds of thousands packed the streets of Iranian holy city of Mashhad to pay tribute to assassinated Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and his companions, who were killed in a US drone strike in Iraq’s Baghdad…”
On comparing the viral image with the photograph featured in the report, we concluded that they both depict the same procession.
The Irish Sun also featured the same image in its January 2020 report on the funeral of General Qasem Soleimani.
The same image was also listed in Shutterstock, a website that provides stock photographs, with the caption, “Funeral of Top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani killed in US airstrike in Baghdad, Mashhad, Iran Islamic Republic – 05 Jan 2020”
Also Read: Viral Video Of Night-Vision Search Ops Is Not Related To Iran President’s Chopper Crash
Conclusion
We could thus conclude that the image claiming to show a massive gathering at Iranian President Raisi’s funeral is actually from 2020 and is from the funeral of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani who was killed in US airstrike in Baghdad.
Result: False
Sources
Report By Tasnim News Agency, Dated January 5, 2020
Report By The Irish Sun, Dated January 5, 2020
Shutterstock Website
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
