#FactCheck : Iraq Religious Gathering Video Misused as Khamenei Funeral Footage
Executive Summary
A video showing a massive gathering of people dressed in black is widely circulating on social media. The clip is being shared with the claim that it shows crowds mourning the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following his alleged killing in February 2026 However, research by the CyberPeace found that the claim is misleading and the video is unrelated to Iran.
Claim:
The viral video shows a large crowd gathered in a public square, with a mosque featuring a golden dome visible in the background. Social media posts claim that the footage captures mourners attending Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral after his reported death in a joint US-Israel operation.
Fact Check:
To verify the claim, we extracted keyframes from the video and conducted a reverse image search. This led us to a similar clip uploaded on January 15 by an Iraqi broadcaster, Karbala TV, on Facebook. In the footage, a large crowd can be seen carrying a symbolic coffin near a shrine with a golden dome—matching the visuals seen in the viral video. According to the Arabic caption, the video shows a “symbolic funeral” procession held at the Kazimayn Shrine in Baghdad, Iraq. The event is part of an annual religious observance commemorating Imam Musa al-Kazim, the seventh Imam in Shia Islam, who is believed to have died after being poisoned in the 8th century.
Every year, large numbers of Shia devotees gather at the shrine in Baghdad to pay their respects during this commemoration. The visuals seen in the viral clip are consistent with this annual gathering.
Conclusion:
The claim that the video shows crowds at Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral is false. The footage is unrelated and actually depicts a religious gathering in Baghdad, Iraq, held as part of an annual Shia ritual.
Related Blogs
Introduction
Purchasing online currencies through one of the numerous sizable digital marketplaces designed specifically for this purpose is the simplest method. The quantity of cryptocurrency and money paid. These online marketplaces impose an exchange fee. After being obtained, digital cash is stored in a digital wallet and can be used in the metaverse or as real money to make purchases of goods and services in the real world. Blockchain ensures the security and decentralisation of each exchange.
Its worth and application are comparable to those of gold: when a large number of investors choose this valuable asset, its value increases and vice versa. This also applies to cryptocurrencies, which explains why they have become so popular in recent years. The metaphysical realm is an online space where users can communicate with one another via virtual personas, among other features. Furthermore, money and commerce always come up when people communicate.
Web3 is welcoming the metaverse, and in an environment where conventional currency isn't functional, its technologies are making it possible to use cryptocurrencies. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) can be used to monitor intellectual rights to ownership in the metaverse, while cryptocurrencies are used to pay for content and incentivise consumers. This write-up addresses what the metaverse crypto is. It also delves into the advantages, disadvantages, and applications of crypto in this context.
Convergence of Metaverse and Cryptocurrency
As the main form of digital money in the Metaverse, digital currencies can be used to do business and exchange in the digital realm. The term "metaverse" describes a simulation of reality where users can communicate in real time with other users and an environment created by computers. The acquisition and exchange of virtual products, virtual possessions, and electronic creativity within the Metaverse can all be made possible via cryptocurrency.
Many digital currencies are based on blockchain software, which can offer an accessible and safe way to confirm payments and manage digital currencies in the Metaverse. By giving consumers vouchers or other electronic currencies in exchange for their accomplishments or contributions, cryptocurrency might encourage consumer engagement and involvement in the Metaverse.
In the Metaverse, cryptocurrency can also facilitate portable connectivity, enabling users to move commodities and their worth between various virtual settings and platforms.
The idea of fragmentation in the Metaverse, where participants have more ownership and control over their virtual worlds, is consistent with the decentralised characteristics of cryptocurrencies.
Advantages of Metaverse Cryptocurrency
There are countless opportunities for creativity and discovery in the metaverse. Because the blockchain is accessible to everyone, unchangeable, and password-protected, metaverse-centric cryptocurrencies offer greater safety and adaptability than cash. Crypto will be crucial to the evolution of the metaverse as it keeps growing and more individuals show interest in using it. Here are a few of the variables influencing the growth of this new virtual environment.
Safety
Your Bitcoin wallet is intimately linked to your personal information, progress, and metaverse possessions. Additionally, if your digital currency wallet is compromised, especially if your account credentials are weak, public, or connected to your real-world identity, cybercriminals may try to steal your money or personal data.
Adaptability
Digital assets can be accessed and exchanged worldwide due to cryptocurrencies’ ability to transcend national borders. By utilising a local cryptocurrency, many metaverse platforms streamline transactions and eliminate the need for frequent currency conversions between various digital or fiat currencies. Another advantage of using autonomous contract languages is for metaverse cryptos. When consumers make transactions within the network, applications do away with the need for administrative middlemen.
Objectivity
By exposing interactions in a publicly accessible distributed database, the use of blockchain improves accountability. It is more difficult for dishonest people to raise the cost of digital goods and land since Bitcoin transactions are public. Metaverse cryptocurrencies are frequently employed to control project modifications. The outcomes of these legislative elections are made public using digital contracts.
NFT, Virtual worlds, and Digital currencies
Using the NFT is an additional method of using Bitcoin for metaverse transactions. These are distinct electronic documents that have significant potential value.
A creator must convert an electronic work of art into a virtual object or virtual world if they want to display it digitally in the metaverse. Artists produce one-of-a-kind, serialised pieces that are given an NFT that may be acquired through Bitcoin payments.
Applications of Metaverse Cryptography
Fiat money or independent virtual currencies like Robux are used by Web 2 metaverse initiatives to pay for goods, real estate, and services. Fiat lacked the adaptability of cryptocurrencies with automated contract capabilities, even though it may be used to pay for goods and finance the creation of projects. Users can stake these within the network virtual currencies to administer distributed metaverses, and they have all the same functions as fiat currency.
Banking operations
Lending digital cash to purchase metaverse land is possible. Banks that have already made inroads into the metaverse include HSBC and JPMorgan, both of which possess virtual real estate. "We are making our foray into the metaverse, allowing us to create innovative brand experiences for both new and existing customers," said Suresh Balaji, chief marketing officer for HSBC in Asia-Pacific.
Purchasing
An increasingly important aspect of the metaverse is online commerce. Users can interact with real-world brands, tour simulated malls, and try on virtual apparel for their characters. Adidas, for instance, debuted an NFT line in 2021 that included customizable peripherals for the Sandbox. Buyers of NFTs crossed the line separating the virtual universe and the actual world to obtain the tangible goods associated with their NFTs.
Authority
Metaverse initiatives are frequently governed by cryptocurrency. Decentraland, a well-known Ethereum-based metaverse featuring virtual reality components, permits users to submit and vote on suggestions provided they own specific tokens.
Conclusion
The combination of the virtual world and cryptocurrencies creates novel opportunities for trade, innovation, and communication. The benefits of using the blockchain system are increased objectivity, safety, and flexibility. By facilitating exclusive ownership of digital assets, NFTs enhance metaverse immersion even more. In the metaverse, cryptocurrencies are used in banking, shopping, and government, forming a user-driven, autonomous digital world. The combination of cryptocurrencies and the metaverse will revolutionise how we interact with online activities, creating a dynamic environment that presents both opportunities and difficulties.
References
- https://www.telefonica.com/en/communication-room/blog/metaverse-and-cryptocurrencies-what-is-their-relationship/
- https://hedera.com/learning/metaverse/metaverse-crypto
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unleashing-power-connection-between-cryptocurrency-ai-amit-chandra/
A video of Bollywood actor and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner Shah Rukh Khan is going viral on social media. The video claims that Shah Rukh Khan is reacting to opposition against Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman playing for KKR and is allegedly calling industrialist Gautam Adani a “traitor,” while appealing to stop Hindu–Muslim politics.
Research by the CyberPeace Foundation found that the voice heard in the video is not Shah Rukh Khan’s but is AI-generated. Shah Rukh Khan has not made any official statement regarding Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from KKR. The claim made in the video concerning industrialist Gautam Adani is also completely misleading and baseless.
Claim
In the viral video, Shah Rukh Khan is allegedly heard saying: “People barking about Mustafizur Rahman playing for KKR should stop it. Adani is earning money by betraying the country by supplying electricity from India to Bangladesh. Leave Hindu–Muslim politics and raise your voice against traitors like Adani for the welfare of the country. Mustafizur Rahman will continue to play for the team.”
The post link, archive link, and screenshots can be seen below:
- Archive link: https://archive.is/XsQXp
- Facebook reel link: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1220246633365097
Research
We examined the key frames of Shah Rukh Khan’s viral video using Google Lens. During this process, we found the original video on the official YouTube channel Talks at Google, which was uploaded on 2 October 2014.
In this video, Shah Rukh Khan is seen wearing the same outfit as in the viral clip. He is seen responding to questions from Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The YouTube video description mentions that Shah Rukh Khan participated in a fireside chat held at the Googleplex, where he answered Pichai’s questions and also promoted his upcoming film “Happy New Year.”
The link to the video is given : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_8UBv5bZo0
Upon closely analyzing the viral video of Shah Rukh Khan, we noticed a clear mismatch between his voice and lip movements (lip sync). Such inconsistencies usually appear when the original video or its audio has been tampered with.
We then examined the audio present in the video using the AI detection tool Aurigin. According to the tool’s results, the audio in the viral video was found to be approximately 99 percent AI-generated.
Conclusion
Our research confirmed that the voice heard in the video is not Shah Rukh Khan’s but is AI-generated. Shah Rukh Khan has not made any official comment regarding Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from KKR. Additionally, the claims made in the video about industrialist Gautam Adani are completely misleading and baseless.
.webp)
Introduction
Pagers were commonly utilized in the late 1990s and early 2000s, especially in fields that needed fast, reliable communication and swift alerts and information sharing. Pagers typically offer a broader coverage range, particularly in remote areas with limited cellular signals, which enhances their dependability. They are simple electronic devices with minimal features, making them easy to use and less prone to technical issues. The decline in their use has been caused by the rise of mobile phones and their extensive features, offering more advanced communication options like voice calls, text messages, and internet access. Despite this, pagers are still used in some specific industries.
A shocking incident occurred on 17th September 2014, where thousands of pager devices exploded within seconds across Lebanon in a synchronized attack, targeting the US-designated terror group Hezbollah. The explosions killed at least 9 and injured over 2,800 individuals in the country that has been caught up in the Israel-Palestine tensions in its backyard.
The Pager Bombs Incident
On Tuesday, 17th September 2024, hundreds of pagers carried by Hezbollah members in Lebanon exploded in an unprecedented attack, surpassing a series of covert assassinations and cyber-attacks in the region over recent years. The Iran-backed militant group claimed the wireless devices began to explode around 3:30 p.m., local time, in a targeted attack on Hezbollah operatives. The pagers that exploded were new and had been purchased by Hezbollah in recent months. Experts say the explosions underscore Hezbollah's vulnerability as its communication network was compromised to deadly effect. Several areas of the country were affected, particularly Beirut's southern suburbs, a populous area that is a known Hezbollah stronghold. At least 9 people were killed, including a child, and about 2,800 people were wounded, overwhelming Lebanese hospitals.
Second Wave of Attack
As per the most recent reports, the next day, following the pager bombing incident, a second wave of blasts hit Beirut and multiple parts of Lebanon. Certain wireless devices such as walkie-talkies, solar equipment, and car batteries exploded, resulting in at least 9 people killed and 300 injured, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The attack is said to have embarrassed Hezbollah, incapacitated many of its members, and raised fears about a greater escalation of hostilities between the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group and Israel.
A New Kind of Threat - ‘Cyber-Physical’ Attacks
The incident raises serious concerns about physical tampering with daily-use electronic devices and the possibility of triggering a new age of warfare. This highlights the serious physical threat posed, wherein even devices such as smartwatches, earbuds, and pacemakers could be vulnerable to physical tampering if an attacker gains physical access to them. We are potentially looking at a new age of ‘cyber-physical’ threats where the boundaries between the digital and the physical are blurring rapidly. It raises questions about unauthorised access and manipulation targeting the physical security of such electronic devices. There is a cause for concern regarding the global supply chain across sectors, if even seemingly-innocuous devices can be weaponised to such devastating effect. Such kinds of attacks are capable of causing significant disruption and casualties, as demonstrated by pager bombings in Lebanon, which resulted in numerous deaths and injuries. It also raises questions on the regulatory mechanism and oversights checks at every stage of the electronic device lifecycle, from component manufacturing to the final assembly and shipment or supply. This is a grave issue because embedding explosives and doing malicious modifications by adversaries can turn such electronic devices into weapons.
CyberPeace Outlook
The pager bombing attack demonstrates a new era of threats in warfare tactics, revealing the advanced coordination and technical capabilities of adversaries where they have weaponised the daily use of electronic devices. They have targeted the hardware security of electronic devices, presenting a serious new threat to hardware security. The threat is grave, and has understandably raised widespread apprehension globally. Such kind of gross weaponisation of daily-use devices, specially in the conflict context, also triggers concerns about the violation of International Humanitarian Law principles. It also raises serious questions on the liabilities of companies, suppliers and manufacturers of such devices, who are subject to regulatory checks and ensuring the authenticity of their products.
The incident highlights the need for a more robust regulatory landscape, with stricter supply chain regulations as we adjust to the realities of a possible new era of weaponisation and conflict expression. CyberPeace recommends the incorporation of stringent tracking and vetting processes in product supply chains, along with the strengthening of international cooperation mechanisms to ensure compliance with protocols regarding the responsible use of technology. These will go a long way towards establishing peace in the global cyberspace and restore trust and safety with regards to everyday technologies.
References:
1. https://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/what-is-a-pager-9573113/
5. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/18/hezbollah-pager-explosion-lebanon-israel-gold-apollo
