Netanyahu Cites Fabricated Iranian Nuclear Quote in Official Address

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited a fabricated quotation attributed to Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, during a speech at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. Netanyahu claimed Vahidi had explicitly declared Iran's intention to continue developing nuclear weapons, asserting that as long as he is Prime Minister, Iran will not possess them.

Investigations by Ynet, The New York Times, and The Times of India traced the disinformation to an Indian X account that posted the claim on August 5. The quote was amplified by the Mossad Commentary account, Israel's Channel 14, and Yair Netanyahu before reaching the Prime Minister. The misinformation spread to the United States, where it was reposted by UN Ambassador Mike Waltz and Senator Rick Scott. Fox News reported the claim as evidence of Iranian duplicity before later retracting the report as unverified and inaccurate.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei condemned the statement as a lie intended to justify military aggression. Experts characterized the incident as narrative laundering designed to undermine peace negotiations between the United States and Iran, which had recently seen President Donald Trump halt attacks on Iran to facilitate talks.