Pakistan-based propaganda accounts are spreading false claims that Iran has arrested 20 Indian nationals for allegedly spying for Israel. These claims are baseless and not supported by any credible evidence.However, our investigation found no credible or verified sources supporting this claim. The images being circulated alongside the narrative are outdated and originally published by the Turkish daily Sabah in 2021, unrelated to any current events.
One such propagandist account, @ShaykhSulaiman, posted:
“JUST IN: Iranian media has reported 20 Indian nationals linked to Zionist Mossad have been taken into custody for espionage. They were allegedly involved in cross-border terrorism activities in both Pakistan and Iran.”
Several other accounts boosted this post, attempting to frame Indians as involved in espionage amid rising Israel-Iran tensions.
Another propagandist account @TacticalTribun, also post related to this:
Iran has arrested multiple individuals spying for Israel. Multiple Indians were also arrested.
And @sumonkais also shared misleading views about the claim, writing:
Execute them, don’t make the same mistake as Qatar. https://x.com/IranUrduNew/st/IranUrduNew/status/1935354059135008786
Several other accounts @ZardSi, @IranUrduNew, @AdameMedia, @iUdhoke, @TheDailyCPEC and @adchoudhray boosted this post, attempting to frame Indians as involved in espionage amid rising Israel-Iran tensions.
Truth: No Proof That Iran has arrested 20 Indian nationals
As the claim started gaining attention and spreading across social media. The D Intent Data Team quickly starts the investigate. We used keyword analysis and checked official government sources to get to the bottom of it. And we found that, there’s no verified report—either from Iranian or international sources—confirming the arrest of any Indian nationals. While Iran has recently detained some individuals, there’s no evidence linking any of them to India. And the images spreading alongside these claims are outdated. They show a group of 15 men who were once accused of being Mossad agents, and the Turkish newspaper Sabah first published the photos on October 25, 2021.
found no credible evidence supporting the claim. The images used are from an unrelated 2021 report. No Indian nationals have been confirmed arrested by Iran.
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— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) June 18, 2025
ANALYSIS: Fake
FACT: Pakistan-based propaganda accounts are circulating false claims that Iran has arrested around 20 Indian nationals for allegedly spying for Israel. These claims are entirely baseless and lack any credible evidence. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/SgFmKhfO0E
INTENT:
Propaganda accounts are attempting to stir misinformation about India amid the Israel-Iran conflict. These posts are being used to falsely implicate Indian nationals and shift focus from regional accountability.
Conclusion:
Claim: Iran arrested 20 Indian nationals for spying on behalf of Israel.
Fact: No verified or official sources confirm this. The images used are from an unrelated 2021 report about alleged Mossad agents. No Indian involvement has been reported by credible Iranian or international outlets.
Related Article: Viral Video Falsely Claims Pakistani Missile Strike on Adampur Air Force Station During Recent India-Pakistan Tensions – D-Intent Data
