Fake Accounts, ‘Likes,’ and the Shah: Inside Israel’s Digital War Against the Islamic Republic
Investigation details Israeli-linked bot networks, fake engagement, and coordinated digital manipulation used to artificially promote Pahlavi in Persian-language spaces.
Iran | PUREWILAYAH.COM - A detailed investigation by the French daily Le Figaro has revealed a coordinated online influence campaign with Israeli origins aimed at artificially inflating support for Reza Pahlavi across Persian-language social media platforms.
According to the report, the operation relies on millions of non-authentic likes, reposts, and interactions, driven largely by fake or automated accounts, to fabricate an image of widespread popularity for the former royal figure and promote monarchist narratives hostile to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Network of Fake Accounts and Artificial Engagement
Citing extensive digital forensic analysis, Le Figaro reported that the campaign is built on a network of fabricated accounts, manipulated content, and material generated using artificial intelligence tools, including deepfake techniques.
These accounts reportedly post and amplify identical messages and hashtags, often accompanied by crown emojis or slogans such as #KingRezaPahlavi, in order to force artificial visibility, inflate trends, and push content to the top of Persian-language feeds without genuine public participation.
Experts identified the tactic as “astroturfing”—a method designed to simulate grassroots support while masking coordinated, top-down manipulation. Estimates cited in the report suggest that over 95 percent of accounts using crown-related symbols were non-authentic.
Findings by Independent Digital Forensics Analysts
The investigation draws on findings by Social Forensics, an independent organization specializing in the analysis of digital manipulation, led by Jeff Goldberg.
After months of examination, the group identified:
4,765 accounts posting more than 100 messages per day each, collectively producing 843 million posts
11,421 additional accounts responsible for abnormal interaction patterns, generating approximately 1.7 billion likes
8,830 accounts that repeatedly changed usernames, a behavior commonly associated with coordinated influence operations
As a result of these findings, 3,361 related accounts have reportedly been suspended by the platform X.
Indicators of State-Level Involvement
Goldberg stated that the scale, coordination, and technical sophistication of the operation strongly indicate the involvement of a state actor. Analysts cited by Le Figaro directly pointed to Israel as the primary suspect, noting the campaign’s alignment with Tel Aviv’s broader political and media hostility toward Iran.
The report concludes that the objective of the operation is to elevate Reza Pahlavi as the dominant voice of the Iranian opposition, particularly during periods of unrest, while marginalizing domestic realities and suppressing authentic Iranian public discourse.
Corroborating Reports by Citizen Lab
In October 2025, Citizen Lab, affiliated with the University of Toronto, published a separate report echoing similar conclusions. That study, later referenced by outlets such as Haaretz, documented a covert influence campaign based on fake profiles created as early as 2023.
According to Citizen Lab, many of these accounts remained largely inactive for nearly two years before becoming highly active in early 2025—coinciding with heightened military tensions between Israel and Iran.
The report cited indicators such as synchronized posting times, lack of verifiable identities, centralized coordination, and content publication preceding local media coverage, all inconsistent with organic user behavior.
Coordinated Messaging and Foreign Advocacy
Additional researchers, including Philip Mai, observed that some of the accounts directly targeted foreign officials, including the US president, urging action against Iran and openly promoting Reza Pahlavi as an alternative political figure.
Meanwhile, Or Yissachar acknowledged that while many global powers conduct online influence operations, Israel demonstrates a high level of technological and narrative control, particularly in Persian-language digital environments.
According to Le Figaro, the overarching goal of these campaigns is to manufacture the illusion of mass popular support for a monarchist return, despite evidence that the bulk of the activity originates outside Iran and is driven by artificial tools rather than genuine social engagement.
The findings reinforce long-standing assessments by Iranian officials and independent analysts that foreign-backed digital manipulation—particularly by the US–Israeli axis—remains a central instrument of psychological and media warfare against the Islamic Republic, aimed at distorting perceptions, undermining sovereignty, and promoting externally approved political figures disconnected from Iranian society. (PW)