Western media outlets have transitioned from selectively omitting Israel’s actions in Gaza to actively distorting the facts they can’t suppress, becoming enablers in sanitizing crimes against humanity. What was once restrained by minimal journalistic standards has now plunged into open fabrication. Even the pretense of minimizing blatant lies has been abandoned over the past year.
Since October 7, 2023, social media and news channels have been flooded with misinformation targeting Hamas, Palestinians, Lebanese, and Iranians. Among these are stories such as Hamas beheading Israeli infants, striking the Al-Ahli Arab hospital, and using civilians as shields—claims that, despite their implausibility, seem almost reasonable compared to the latest disinformation campaign concerning the whereabouts and well-being of Esmail Qaani, chief of the Quds Force.
Initially, reports surfaced suggesting Qaani had been killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27th, which targeted a residential area in southern Beirut, killing Hezbollah leader Sayyad Hassan Nasrallah. The IRGC confirmed the death of another senior commander, Brigadier General Abbas Nilforooshan, in the same strike.
Western media quickly pivoted from claims of Qaani’s death to suggesting he had been severely injured in the attack but managed to survive. These reports further claimed that Qaani was flown back to Tehran on October 4th aboard a flight with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who had traveled to Beirut.
In response to swirling rumors, an IRGC official issued a public denial, stating that Qaani had neither been killed nor injured. Despite this, media outlets spun a fresh narrative. Middle East Eye, a news platform with ties to Qatar, reported on October 10th that sources from Tehran, Beirut, and Baghdad claimed Qaani was under interrogation for a security lapse that allowed Israel to assassinate Nasrallah. Some outlets even escalated the narrative, alleging that Qaani suffered a heart attack during questioning.
Yet on Tuesday, Qaani dispelled all speculation by making a public appearance at the funeral of General Nilforooshan. In video footage from the ceremony, the commander appeared calm and healthy, praying and speaking with other attendees—completely contradicting the fabricated stories circulating in the media.
The Western media’s attempts to cast doubt on Qaani’s location, citing his prolonged absence from public events, further exposed their lack of understanding. Qaani, like his predecessor Qassem Soleimani, maintains a low public profile, making rare appearances only at official ceremonies attended by senior Iranian officials.
West Asia expert Seyyed Reza Sadrolhosseini suggested that the disinformation campaign was part of a coordinated effort involving Western intelligence services and media outlets to provoke a response from Iran. “Tracking Quds Force commanders is notoriously difficult,” he explained. “These agencies likely hoped that the fabricated stories would pressure Iran into having Qaani address the rumors publicly, thus exposing his movements or location.”
Sadrolhosseini warned that the close collaboration between spy agencies and Western media is eroding public trust in mainstream outlets. Once viewed as credible sources, organizations like Reuters and The New York Times now face growing scrutiny and skepticism for their apparent willingness to spread false narratives. “Blind trust in these media giants is dwindling,” he added, “as more people turn to social media and alternative news platforms for information.”
Inspiration: Tehran Times, Aljazeera, MEE
