Iran used AI on newly released photo of Iran’s no-show supreme leader Khamenei
Iranian state media has circulated newly released photos of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei that analysts say were altered using artificial intelligence, raising questions about why the country’s new leader has not appeared publicly.
According to Shayan Sardarizadeh, a senior journalist with BBC Verify, an examination of the images posted by Iranian outlets and on Khamenei’s new X account indicates that the pictures were digitally modified with AI tools. He noted that Google’s SynthID system detected watermarks suggesting the images had been processed using Google’s AI technology.
Sardarizadeh also reported that the altered images appear to originate from photographs taken years ago when Khamenei attended a pro-government rally. Metadata connected to the X account publishing the images shows it is registered in the Netherlands.
No confirmed recent photographs of Khamenei have been released since he was appointed Iran’s supreme leader earlier this week following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the Feb. 28 strike that killed his father, and reports have surfaced suggesting he was injured during the attack. One Iranian source told The Sun that the new leader was in critical condition at Sina University Hospital in Tehran and allegedly in a coma.
The same source claimed that severe injuries included the loss of one or possibly both legs and damage to internal organs. However, other Iranian sources dispute those claims, saying Khamenei suffered less serious injuries such as a broken foot, facial cuts, and a bruised eye during the initial wave of airstrikes and is currently being kept in a secure location.
Analysts say Iranian officials may be deliberately keeping Khamenei out of public view while he recovers, aiming to maintain an image of stability and strength during a period of conflict.
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