New X feature revealing account locations has exposed a network of Iranian state-linked operatives accused of running covert propaganda for Tehran.
Iran’s long-suspected cyber network operating on X has been thrust into the open after a recent platform update revealed the true locations of dozens of accounts posing as Western-based commentators. The discovery has intensified scrutiny of Tehran’s online influence operations and sparked renewed warnings from pro-democracy activists who say the regime has spent years manipulating global discourse.
The exposure followed an update rolled out by X that allows users to view an “about this account” section showing the country from which an account is posting, based on IP data rather than self-declared information. The feature, introduced quietly, revealed that numerous influential profiles claiming to be based in Europe or the United States were in fact operating from inside Iran.
The accounts, researchers say, formed part of a coordinated effort loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Their primary mission was to undermine opposition movements, discredit pro-democracy figures, and shape foreign perceptions of Iran’s political landscape.
For years, activists and analysts argued that Tehran had built a sophisticated cyber-army to flood social platforms with subtle propaganda. Newly exposed data now appears to validate those concerns. Many of the accounts targeted dissident groups, particularly the exiled National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its leader Maryam Rajavi, who advocates for a democratic transition.
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Iran’s government officially bans X, with most ordinary users relying on unstable and costly VPNs that leave them vulnerable to surveillance and arrest. But state-backed cyber operators reportedly enjoy unrestricted access through so-called “white SIM cards,” enabling them to circumvent Iran’s own internet restrictions while posing as ordinary citizens abroad.
Dr. Eli Zabihi, a computer science lecturer in London and member of Women for a Free Iran, said the revelations confirm what dissidents had long alleged. “These are people loyal to the regime,” she said. “They are given privileged internet access so they can operate freely online. Normal Iranians do not have this.”
Analysts also say the network strategically amplified certain figures—such as Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last Shah—not to support them, but to create fractures within the opposition. By simulating support for rival factions, they argue, the regime sought to weaken unified resistance efforts.
The revelations have drawn wider attention across Europe and the United States, raising concerns about Iran’s ability to influence political debates abroad through coordinated digital campaigns. For many activists, the exposure marks a rare setback for Tehran’s cyber-operations and a long-awaited confirmation that organized manipulation on X has been far more extensive than previously acknowledged.