Researchers say Israeli government likely behind AI-generated disinfo campaign in Iran | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The group leveraged dozens of social media accounts and \u201croutinely used\u201d AI-generated imagery and video to stoke unrest among Iran\u2019s population, according to Citizen Lab.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/citizen-lab-disinformation-campaign-israel-iran-evin-prison\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Researchers say Israeli government likely behind AI-generated disinfo campaign in Iran\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The group leveraged dozens of social media accounts and \u201croutinely used\u201d AI-generated imagery and video to stoke unrest among Iran\u2019s population, according to Citizen Lab.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" 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readability=\"26.414457831325\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"35.545851528384\">\n<p> The group leveraged dozens of social media accounts and \u201croutinely used\u201d AI-generated imagery and video to stoke unrest among Iran\u2019s population, according to Citizen Lab. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/86239\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"437\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran.jpg?resize=640%2C437&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg 5761w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=300,205 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=768,524 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=1024,699 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=1536,1049 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=2048,1399 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=600,410 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=246,168 246w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=494,337 494w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=988,675 988w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.jpg?resize=1235,843 1235w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 988px) 100vw, 988px\"><figcaption> Debris of the main entrance of the Evin prison, which is destroyed in Israeli strikes, is pictured in northern Tehran, Iran, on July 1, 2025. A group leveraged dozens of social media accounts and \u201croutinely used\u201d AI-generated imagery and video to stoke unrest among Iran\u2019s population, according to Citizen Lab. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl\/NurPhoto via Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"73.497693859902\"><body readability=\"148.93052930057\"><\/p>\n<p>A coordinated Israeli-backed network of social media accounts pushed anti-government propaganda \u2014 including deepfakes and other AI-generated content \u2014 to Iranians as real-world kinetic attacks were happening, with the goal of fomenting revolt among the country\u2019s people, according to researchers at Citizen Lab.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/citizenlab.ca\/2025\/10\/ai-enabled-io-aimed-at-overthrowing-iranian-regime\/\">research<\/a> released this week, the nonprofit \u2014 along with Clemson University disinformation researcher Darren Linvill \u2014 said the so-called PRISONBREAK campaign was primarily carried out by a network of 50-some accounts on X created in 2023, but was largely dormant until this year.<\/p>\n<p>The group \u201croutinely used\u201d AI-generated imagery and video in their operations to try to stoke unrest among Iran\u2019s population, mimic real news outlets to spread false content and encourage overthrow of the Iranian government.<\/p>\n<p>Israel\u2019s military campaign in Gaza, launched following a coordinated attack by Hamas in October 2023, eventually expanded to include air strikes in Lebanon and Yemen.<\/p>\n<p>In June, Israel Defense Forces launched an attack against Iranian nuclear facilities while also targeting senior Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists for assassination. Those strikes expanded to other Iranian targets, like oil facilities, national broadcasters and a strike on Evin Prison in Tehran.<\/p>\n<p>In the early days of the conflict, the networks shared images and videos \u2014 of uncertain authenticity \u2014 claiming to show Iran in a state of chaos and instability. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"869\" width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran.png?resize=640%2C869&ssl=1\" alt class=\"wp-image-86244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.png 1006w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.png?resize=221,300 221w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.png?resize=768,1043 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.png?resize=754,1024 754w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.png?resize=442,600 442w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.png?resize=124,168 124w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.png?resize=248,337 248w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.png?resize=497,675 497w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-2.png?resize=621,843 621w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 754px) 100vw, 754px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A June 13 post from the PRISONBREAK influence campaign depicting Iran as broadly unstable and unsafe. (Image source: Citizen Lab)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One widely circulated video, likely altered with AI, depicted people standing in line at an ATM before breaking into a riot, accompanied by messages like \u201cThe Islamic Republic has failed!\u201d and \u201cThis regime is the enemy of us, the people!\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"601\" width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-1.png?resize=640%2C601&ssl=1\" alt class=\"wp-image-86241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-3.png 1132w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-3.png?resize=300,281 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-3.png?resize=768,721 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-3.png?resize=1024,961 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-3.png?resize=600,563 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-3.png?resize=179,168 179w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-3.png?resize=359,337 359w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-3.png?resize=719,675 719w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-3.png?resize=899,843 899w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Source: Citizen Lab)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But the bulk of Citizen Lab\u2019s research focused on the period between June 13-24, 2023, during the \u201c12 Day War\u201d between Israel and Iran and social media activity during and after a real June 24 Israeli airstrike on Evin Prison. The facility is known for housing thousands of political prisoners and dissidents of the Iranian regime, and organizations like Human Rights Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/reports\/2004\/iran0604\/5.htm\">have tracked<\/a> incidents of mistreatment, torture and executions.<\/p>\n<p>The strike happened between 11:17 a.m. and 12:18 p.m. Iranian local time. By 11:52 a.m., accounts associated with the network began posting about the attack, and at 12:05 p.m., one<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20250623083543\/https:\/twitter.com\/KarNiloufar\/status\/1937067028885770497\"> posted an AI-generated video<\/a> purporting to show footage of the attack, tricking several news outlets into sharing the content as genuine.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe exact timing of the video\u2019s posting, while the bombing on the Evin Prison was allegedly still happening, points towards the conclusion that it was part of a premeditated and well-synchronized influence operation,\u201d wrote researchers Alberto Fittarelli, Maia Scott, Ron Deibert, Marcus Michaelsen, and Linvill.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Other accounts from the network began quickly piling on, spreading word of the explosions, and by 12:36 p.m., accounts were explicitly calling for Iranian citizens to march on the prison and free the prisoners.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the posts failed to gain traction with online audiences except for one. A message calling on \u201ckids\u201d to storm Evin Prison to free their \u201cloved ones\u201d also contained a video with AI-generated imagery spliced with real footage of Iranian citizen repression. It managed to rack up more than 46,000 views and 3,500 likes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis second video about the Evin Prison, which shows the hallmarks of professional editing and was posted within one hour from the end of the bombings further strongly suggests that the PRISONBREAK network\u2019s operators had prior knowledge of the Israeli military action, and were prepared to coordinate with it,\u201d researchers wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Those posts and others by PRISONBREAK operators led researchers to believe the campaign \u2014 still active as of today \u2014 is being carried out by either an Israeli government agency or a sub-contractor working on behalf of the Israeli government. <\/p>\n<p>The press office for the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C., did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CyberScoop.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-despots-and-democracies-fuel-disinformation-ecosystem\">Despots \u2014 and democracies \u2014 fuel disinformation ecosystem<\/h4>\n<p>It\u2019s not the first time the Israeli government has been tied to an online influence campaign related to the Gaza conflict, nor would it be the first time the country has reportedly tapped private industry to wage information warfare.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, researchers at Meta, OpenAI, Digital Forensic Research Lab and independent disinformation researcher Marc Owen Jones all<a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/israel-influence-operations-stoic\/\"> tracked activity from a similar network<\/a> on Facebook, X and Instagram that targeted Canadian and U.S. users with posts calling for the release of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas, criticism of U.S. campus protests against Israeli military operations and attacks against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.<\/p>\n<p>Meta and OpenAI both flagged STOIC, a firm based in Tel Aviv that is believed to be working on behalf of the Israeli government, as behind much of the activity.<\/p>\n<p>Citizen Lab\u2019s report identified two other Israeli firms, Team Jorge and Archimedes Group, that sell disinformation-for-hire services to government clients.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cBoth companies offered their services to a wide array of clients globally, used advanced technologies to build and conduct their covert campaigns, and advertised existing or prior connections to the Israeli intelligence community,\u201d Citizen Lab researchers wrote.<\/p>\n<p>While Western threat intelligence companies and media outlets can present disinformation campaigns as mostly a tool of autocratic or authoritarian countries, researchers have warned that democratic governments and private industry are increasingly playing key roles in information warfare.<\/p>\n<p>David Agranovich, Meta\u2019s senior policy director for threat disruption, told CyberScoop last year that commercial marketing firms provide governments an additional layer of obfuscation when attempting to manipulate public opinion without leaving direct digital fingerprints.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese services essentially democratize access to sophisticated influence or surveillance capabilities, while hiding the client who\u2019s behind them,\u201d Agranovich said.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.3412563667233\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"13\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Derek B. Johnson\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Derek B. Johnson<\/h4>\n<p> Derek B. Johnson is a reporter at CyberScoop, where his beat includes cybersecurity, elections and the federal government. Prior to that, he has provided award-winning coverage of cybersecurity news across the public and private sectors for various publications since 2017. Derek has a bachelor\u2019s degree in print journalism from Hofstra University in New York and a master\u2019s degree in public policy from George Mason University in Virginia. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> 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{"id":8050,"date":"2025-10-03T12:15:57","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T17:15:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=86239"},"modified":"2025-10-03T12:15:57","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T17:15:57","slug":"researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/10\/03\/researchers-say-israeli-government-likely-behind-ai-generated-disinfo-campaign-in-iran\/","title":{"rendered":"Researchers say Israeli government likely behind AI-generated disinfo campaign in Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"