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Iman Sefati accused columnists and Islamists of attempting to prevent the Freedom Prize of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom for the Iranian people, while simultaneously remaining silent on executions and human rights abuses in Iran. He asked where their tweets on these topics had been in recent days. The prize is awarded to the Iranian people – including conservatives, leftists, liberals, Baluchis, Azeris, Kurds, and other groups. Prince Reza Pahlavi accepts it on their behalf, Sefati wrote. It is not about a single person, but about a people fighting for freedom. In conclusion, he said that those criticized should be ashamed. #Iran #Menschenrechte #Freiheit (translated)

Reza Pahlavi Communications published a statement that had reportedly been signed by 133 Iranian political prisoners and activists. In it, the signatories thanked the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom for awarding the Freedom Prize 2026 to the Iranian people and for commissioning Prince Reza Pahlavi to accept it. The signatories wrote that during the protests on January 8 and 9, 2026, people had demanded an end to the Islamic Republic and more freedom. Published reports and estimates indicated tens of thousands of deaths and thousands of arrests. They stated that executions continued and death sentences were imposed in part based on confessions coerced under torture and in unfair trials. The authors referred to Reza Pahlavi as their political representative and supported him in leading a transition to a free, democratic Iran. They wrote that the Iranian people should decide on the future form of government in a free vote. They urged governments and international institutions to prevent executions, release political prisoners, and grant independent observers access to prisons. Additionally, they called for an end to business with the Islamic Republic, for a transparent use of frozen Iranian assets to support the freedom movement, and for better access to secure internet, including through Starlink. The letter was dated October 2026. #Iran #Freiheit #Menschenrechte (translated)

IRAN: MEK/NCRI – when AI impersonated a real activist in live conversations For years, synthetic media has largely meant fabricated images, cloned voices and manipulated video. A case uncovered by Anthropic in September 2026 suggests a more consequential development: artificial intelligence being used not merely to imitate how a person looks or sounds, but to behave as that person in an ongoing conversation. Anthropic says it dismantled a distributed influence operation targeting Iranians inside the country and abroad that it linked to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, or PMOI/MEK, and its political front, the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The operators used a shared AI-agent platform to support impersonation, audience profiling, coordinated social-media activity, synthetic personas and the laundering of organisational content through apparently independent accounts. At least four people involved in the operation worked for official NCRI media outlets, according to Anthropic. The company also found references to committee approval processes and MEK leadership, but said it could not independently determine the precise level of central control. Cloning a person from 8,400 Telegram posts The most striking part of the operation involved a real activist whose Telegram identity was copied. According to Anthropic, the operators instructed Claude in Persian that it was now that person, then provided approximately 8,400 of the activist’s Telegram posts so the system could learn and reproduce his writing style. The AI-assisted account was subsequently used to conduct live political conversations with the activist’s existing contacts. Anthropic says that, to its knowledge, the people receiving those messages did not know they were interacting with an account being operated with AI assistance. This is materially different from a conventional chatbot or a static deepfake. The system was not simply producing a forged statement attributed to someone else. It was using a large archive of that person’s authentic language as behavioural training material, then applying the resulting imitation interactively. In practical terms, the deception moved from synthetic content to synthetic identity. Anthropic did not publish the identity of the impersonated activist, nor details of his contacts, and the public report does not establish what specific information the conversations produced. What it does establish is that the impersonation was operational rather than experimental: the cloned account was used in real exchanges with real people. From social-media monitoring to psychographic dossiers The impersonation sat inside a much broader targeting system. Anthropic says the network scraped more than 500 social-media channels and categorised individuals by location, age, profession, political orientation and arrest history. It then analysed approximately 51,944 archived messages from conversations to construct detailed psychographic dossiers on dozens of people inside Iran. The system was therefore not limited to broadcasting propaganda. It was also designed to understand specific audiences and individuals. Profiles could be used to decide what kind of message was most likely to resonate with a particular person, which political identity they appeared closest to and how they should be approached. Anthropic describes this as a structured targeting funnel rather than ad hoc social-media activity. That distinction is important in the Iranian context. Political activists, dissidents and opposition contacts inside Iran can face arrest and severe punishment. The report does not show that the dossiers directly led to arrests or other harm, but collecting and organising information such as arrest history and political affiliation adds a surveillance dimension to what would otherwise be described as an influence operation. A shared AI system for an influence network Anthropic found that the actors used a shared Claude-based platform named “Viktor”, with separate workspaces and persistent memory. Those memory files contained approved sources, prohibited words, account-management instructions and methods intended to reduce the risk of detection. One operator loaded MEK founding doctrine into the system as what the report called “strategic base data”, allowing others to reuse it across their work. This persistent-memory structure meant the AI did not have to be briefed from scratch for every task. Once doctrine, stylistic rules and operational constraints had been stored, the system could repeatedly produce material consistent with the network’s objectives. Anthropic says the same general playbook appeared across different workspaces despite the operators not sharing obvious account infrastructure. The network also used automated pipelines to coordinate Instagram posting schedules and tailor messages to different audiences. Some accounts initially avoided mentioning the Mojahedin at all, allowing material aligned with MEK/NCRI narratives to appear as neutral or independent political commentary. Content was distributed through the organisation’s own media ecosystem as well as accounts presented as ordinary news or activist profiles. Anthropic assessed the campaign as Category Two on its Breakout Scale: active on multiple platforms with distribution through NCRI-linked media properties and amplifier accounts, but without evidence of broad authentic penetration. Synthetic citizens and disguised organisational media The same infrastructure generated AI avatars presented as ordinary Iranians, complete with Persian audio, to promote Maryam Rajavi’s political programme. Anthropic says the synthetic nature of these personas was intentionally concealed. Operators also rewrote and redistributed content originating from MEK-affiliated media while stripping identifying features or presenting it through apparently independent accounts. The network’s political messaging targeted the Iranian government but also rival opposition currents, including monarchists and supporters of the Pahlavi camp. Anthropic documented fabricated video material attacking a member of the Pahlavi family and the use of the slogan “Neither Shah Nor Sheikh”, consistent with the NCRI’s broader competition with other opposition movements. That rivalry provides relevant context. Reuters describes the MEK as one of Iran’s principal organised opposition movements in exile and the dominant force behind the NCRI, led by Maryam Rajavi. Its relationship with other opposition currents is often contentious, while the extent of its support inside Iran remains uncertain. What can be attributed – and what cannot Anthropic’s attribution is unusually specific but still needs to be stated carefully. The company says its investigation linked the operation to MEK/NCRI and established that at least four participants worked for official NCRI media organisations. It also found a common operational playbook, committee review structures and repeated references to MEK leadership. On that basis, Anthropic said central tasking was likely. It nevertheless stopped short of saying it had proven that NCRI’s senior leadership directly ordered or managed every component of the operation. That caveat matters. The strongest public evidence supports describing GTG-84006 as a MEK/NCRI-aligned influence operation involving personnel from official NCRI media, rather than asserting that every action was directly commanded by the organisation’s top leadership. The broader significance of the case lies elsewhere. Earlier generations of synthetic media attempted to fabricate evidence: a photograph, a voice recording or a video. Here, AI was used to maintain an identity over time, remember doctrine, analyse targets and speak directly to real people while appearing to be someone they already trusted. The deepfake was no longer merely an artefact. It had become a participant in the conversation. Sources Anthropic — Countering misuse of AI: September 2026 https://www.anthropic.com/threat-intelligence-report-september-2026 AI Misuse Case Library — GTG-84006 activist impersonation case https://www.misuseofai.com/en/cases/gtg-84006-activist-impersonation/ Reuters — Who makes up Iran’s fragmented opposition? https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/who-makes-up-irans-fragmented-opposition-2025-06-18/ Reuters — Iran’s divided opposition senses its moment https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-divided-opposition-senses-its-moment-activists-remain-wary-protests-2025-06-19/ Reuters — NCRI and Maryam Rajavi https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/dissident-leader-abroad-urges-iranians-bring-down-khamenei-2025-06-24/ Keywords #DISINFORMED #Episode12 #Iran #MEK #PMOI #NCRI #IranianOpposition #Disinformation #InfluenceOperations #InformationWarfare #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #GenerativeAI #ClaudeAI #Anthropic #AIDeception #AIImpersonation #IdentityImpersonation #SyntheticIdentity #InteractiveDeepfake #DigitalImpersonation #PersonaCloning #BehaviouralCloning #Telegram #PsychographicProfiling #TargetProfiling #AudienceTargeting #SocialMediaManipulation #Astroturfing #SyntheticPersonas #NarrativeLaundering #CoordinatedInfluence #PoliticalInfluence #DigitalInfluence #OppositionPolitics #IranPolitics #OSINT #WRLD

Zgodovina si ne zapomni tistih, ki so molčali, ker je bilo tako varneje. Zapomni si tiste, ki so spregovorili, ko so drugi obračali pogled stran. Janez Janša je v OZN naredil prav to: dal je glas pobitim Irancem in pokazal, da zna Slovenija stati na strani resnice. Odziv Irancev in Reze Pahlavija pove vse. Pogum, razum in resnica so na koncu vedno na pravi strani zgodovine. https://t.co/uHVuxLyEgV via @Portal24si #zgodovina #pogum #resnica

C'est un honneur pour la cheffe adjointe @MelissaLantsman et moi d'accueillir au Canada le prince héritier @PahlaviReza pour défendre la liberté et dénoncer le terrorisme. Nous avons discuté de la nécessité d'expulser du Canada les agents terroristes du CGRI et de sanctionner le régime terroriste illégitime de Téhéran, qui a tué des dizaines de citoyens canadiens et des milliers de ses propres citoyens. Merci, prince héritier, de lutter pour la liberté de votre peuple. #Liberté #AntiTerrorisme #Canada

Allein aus Berlin haben mich heute mehr als 50 Menschen kontaktiert und mir ihre gebuchten Tickets gezeigt. Sie werden am 7. November nach Frankfurt reisen, um Prinz @PahlaviReza zu empfangen. Ich glaube, diese Veranstaltung wird viel größer als bisher gedacht. @FNFreiheit @DjirSarai @StSaebisch #Frankfurt #PahlaviReza #Veranstaltung

Viele Medien nennen Reza Pahlavi reflexartig den „Schah-Sohn“. Würden wir deutsche Politiker ebenso ständig als „Nazi-Enkel“ bezeichnen und auf die Vergangenheit ihrer Familien reduzieren? Menschen sollten an ihren eigenen Positionen und ihrem heutigen Handeln gemessen werden! #RezaPahlavi #Geschichte #Politik

Oppositionsführer Reza Pahlavi kommt nach Deutschland! Am 7. November 2026 wird dem iranischen Volk in der Frankfurter Paulskirche der Freiheitspreis der @FNFreiheit für seinen mutigen Kampf für Freiheit, Menschenrechte und Demokratie gegen das brutale Mullah-Regime verliehen. Entgegennehmen wird den Preis Irans Oppositionsführer Kronprinz @PahlaviReza treuhänderisch für das iranische Volk; die Laudatio hält @DjirSarai , außenpolitischer Sprecher der @fdp und langjähriger Außenpolitiker, ein deutliches Signal der politischen Solidarität mit der iranischen Freiheitsbewegung. @StSaebisch @KubickiWo @KH_Paque #Iran #Freiheit #Menschenrechte #Demokratie

Confronto durante uma entrevista com o príncipe herdeiro iraniano: Jornalista alemão pergunta a Pahlavi: Você é um agente israelense? Príncipe Reza Pahlavi: NÃO, mas meu avô deu refúgio aos judeus quando vocês os queimavam nas fornalhas. https://t.co/ZgPm3L5kHE #Iran #Pahlavi #Jornalismo

MAKE HORMUZ AMERICAN AGAIN 🇺🇸 @POTUS @PahlaviReza I propose a new permanent security order for the Persian Gulf after the Iranian regime: 🇦🇪 Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb back to the United Arab Emirates. 🇺🇸 Kharg, Qeshm, Larak and Hormuz Island permanently ceded to the #Hormuz #PersianGulf #USSecurity #US #AE #IR

📨 Ahmad zu mir „Können sie mir sagen wann die neckste Demo von den pahlavi ist ich wollte mich bei der Behörde anmelde das ich mit der richtigen Iran Flagge mit laufen will...“ „Hahahah alte Schachtel“ 🚨Ahmad! Ich eile. Den Duden und ein Gehirn für Sie bringe ich mit! #Berlin https://t.co/uucUt81wdm #Iran #Demonstration #Berlin

Článek popisuje oslavu 2.500. výročí Perské říše, kterou v roce 1972 zorganizoval íránský šáh Mohammad Reza Pahlaví, jako extravagantní a marnotratnou událost, jež se stala symbolem jeho režimu a přispěla k pádu monarchie a vzestupu islámské republiky v roce 1979. #Historia #Irán #RevoluciónIslámica

👑 Très honoré de rencontrer le Prince @PahlaviReza, fils du Shah d’Iran et figure de l’opposition au régime des Mollahs. 💪 Il est de notre devoir de faire tomber ce régime qui opprime son peuple et représente un danger mortel pour nos Pays et démocraties. Ceux qui vous disent https://t.co/tUnhJPh5xJ #Iran #Liberté #Opposition #IR

Das Problem der ZDF-Berichterstattung über Iran ist nicht die Faktenlage, sondern das Framing. Hunderttausende Iraner sind im Ausland gegen das Regime auf die Straße gegangen, haben "Javid Shah" gerufen. Auch im Iran selbst war bei Protesten der Name Reza Pahlavi immer zu hören. Hinter diesen Kommentaren stehen nicht einfach nur Profile, Hashtags und Netzwerke, sondern eine reale politische Bewegung. Wer diese Menschen im selben Deutungsrahmen erscheinen lässt wie Regime-Bots, Hasskommentare oder Desinformationsnetzwerke, führt massiv in die Irre. Diese Rahmung erzeugt den Eindruck, als seien beide Seiten nur unterschiedliche Varianten derselben Manipulation. Damit werden Menschen, die Freiheit und Demokratie fordern, indirekt auf eine Stufe gestellt mit den Propagandisten des Mullah-Regimes. #IranProtests #RezaPahlavi #IranRegimeChange #Iran #ZDF #IranProtests #Iran #Democracy

“The Iranian people will determine our own destiny. The choice for the Netherlands is whether it will be a bystander or a partner in our freedom. Het Iraanse volk zal zijn eigen lot bepalen. De keuze is aan Nederland of het een omstander of een partner in onze vrijheid wil zijn.” In his latest op-ed for @ewmagazinenl Prince Reza Pahlavi explains why the Netherlands must stand with the Iranian people in their struggle for freedom. https://t.co/zNdnaqBG2A #Iran #Freedom #Solidarity

Reza Pahlavi: waarom Nederland veel meer te winnen heeft bij een vrij Iran Eeuwen geleden deden Nederlandse patriotten een beroep op andere volken voor steun in hun strijd tegen de Spaanse tirannie. Meer recent stond Nederland zij aan zij met degenen die zich verzetten tegen de apartheid en met de democratische bewegingen die Centraal- en Oost-Europa bevrijdden. (…) De geschiedenis kondigt zelden de momenten aan waarop zij van koers verandert. Maar ik geloof dat we nu zo’n moment doormaken. Wanneer toekomstige generaties Iraniërs eindelijk, zoals de Nederlanders al eeuwenlang, zingen dat zij ‘vrij en onverveerd’ zijn, zal de keuze voor Nederland duidelijk zijn. De vraag is niet óf er moet worden ingegrepen in de toekomst van Iran. De vraag is of men moet blijven investeren in een regime dat onveiligheid exporteert, óf in een volk dat vastbesloten is om een vreedzame, democratische staat op te bouwen. Het Iraanse volk zal zijn eigen lot bepalen. De keuze is aan Nederland of het een omstander of een partner in onze vrijheid wil zijn. https://t.co/MMp626vsmB via @ewmagazinenl #Vrijheid #Iran #Democratie

Sympathisanten van de Iraanse oppositieleider Reza Pahlavi houden een grootscheepse demonstratie in Den Haag terwijl hij gesprekken voert met Nederlandse Kamerleden, in de hoop dat hij wordt erkend als de enige optie voor een democratisch Iran, ondanks de controverse rond zijn afkomst en zijn verleden. #RezaPahlavi #Iran #Demonstratie