post shared on facebook Iranian state media Press TV claims it shows a Kurdish businessman with Israeli spies.
Verdict: False
The image has been photoshopped. Press TV has since updated its article to remove the image, but still stands by its content.
Fact check:
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported on January 15 that it had launched ballistic missiles into Iraq and Syria, claiming to have targeted terrorists and Israeli “spy headquarters.” Reuters.Reuters report They are four civilians, including Kurdish businessman Peshrau Dizaie.
Press TV, Iran's state media, published an article claiming that Dizaie is an Israeli asset from Erbil. The outlet also published an image that it claims shows Israeli spies and Desai side by side, similar to the one in the Facebook post. The article connected Dizaee with Tasa Elite founder Eran Nissim. Claim Having 900 “agents” around the world.
However, this image has been photoshopped. Through a reverse image search, Check Your Fact found that the original image appears to have been shared on the following sites: Facebook The original image does not show Dizayee, who was added to the image in the Press TV Facebook post.
Tasa Elite's Facebook page also picked up the claim, calling the Iranian government “stupid.”
“The Iranian regime is really stupid. This is the horse photo shop I've seen. Thank God they stay like this in English, 0-brained idiots. It's time to abolish this regime for good. It's here. Coming soon!'' the post reads. Kurdistan 24 also debunked it. image In an article from January 20th. The Press TV article claimed to show Dezay and a Russian rabbi, but the actual image does not show this. Omar Majid Dizai, Peshraw Dizai's younger brother, also denied that the late businessman had any involvement in oil.
“He did not work in the field of oil buying, selling, mining or transportation,” Dizai told Kurdistan 24. (Related: Pope Francis said Jesus was born during a census by King David?)
Press TV has since issued an update, saying it removed the Photoshopped image but still stands by its report.
“Update: Some photos previously published in this article have been officially removed as they were received from security sources and Press TV was unable to independently verify their authenticity. However, I “We stand behind the article and the information provided therein related to Dizei and his accomplices who were killed in the January 15 strike by the Revolutionary Guards,” the update reads.
The Kurdistan Regional Security Council condemned the Revolutionary Guards attack, saying: Statement of January 15th It said the attack was a “clear violation” of Iraqi and Kurdish sovereignty. ”
“Pasdaran forces have announced that this attack is against some of the Iranian rebel forces. We reject this excuse. Unfortunately, they always use unnecessary excuses to attack Erbil and Attacking Erbil as a stable region and in no way a source of threat to any political party. This is a clear violation of the region and the dictatorship of Iraq and the federal government. The international community should be silent about these crimes. No,” the statement reads in part.
Check Your Fact has reached out to the State Department, Kurdistan's representative to the United States, and Iran's representative to the United Nations for comment and will update this article if we hear back.
