Khamenei's Body Under Concrete? Turns Out to Be an AI-Generated Fake Image

by Heo Midam

Published 05 Mar.2026 19:43(KST)

Social Media Platforms on High Alert Amid Proliferation of Fake News

A photo purportedly showing the body of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was released, sparking controversy. However, it has been confirmed that the image is a fake created using artificial intelligence (AI).

On March 4, 2026 (local time), the AFP Fact Check team announced that the widely circulated "Khamenei corpse" photo on social media platforms is an AI-generated false image.

The problematic image shows Khamenei lying amid collapsed concrete debris, surrounded by rescue workers wearing helmets conducting rescue operations. Another image depicts Khamenei lying neatly under a pile of concrete rubble.

On the 2nd (local time), a protest condemning the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took place in Karachi, Pakistan. Photo by AP Yonhap News

However, AFP stated that there has never been an official photo showing Khamenei's body, and the images spreading on social media are highly likely to have been generated by AI. AFP specifically pointed out that on Facebook, a Meta AI-generated image label was found on the Khamenei-related image. AFP also added that the images exhibit typical characteristics of AI-generated images, such as abnormally distorted hands and fingers on Khamenei's body.

Meanwhile, as fake news related to war spreads, social media platforms are also taking action. X (formerly Twitter), led by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has decided to suspend revenue sharing with users who post war-related AI-generated videos without citing their source.

Nikita Bier, Head of Product at X, announced in an X post on March 3, 2026, "Users who post AI-generated videos about armed conflicts without disclosing that they were created by AI will be suspended from the ad revenue sharing program for 90 days," adding, "If the violation is repeated, the user will be permanently removed from the program." Therefore, users must add an 'AI-generated' label through the menu when posting such videos.