Following widespread online claims that state media depicted Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as being in “heaven” surrounded by 72 virgins following reports of his death, a photo has spread virally across social media platforms.Posts on the website
Iran unleashes revenge on Khamenei; “The next decisive punishment is coming.” He watches
This claim is false.There is no confirmed evidence that any Iranian government media organization published such a photo.
The image circulating online is of a digitally manipulated composite that has been misattributed to official sources.
What’s going viral
The photo shows Khamenei sitting in what appears to be a “heavenly” place resembling a garden, surrounded by many young girls. Many users linked the scene to the controversial “72 Virgins” theme, sparking anger and accusations of immorality.However, there are several basic facts that undermine this claim:There is no record of the photo in official Iranian outlets such as Press TV, IRNA, Mehr News Agency, Tasnim, or Khamenei’s official channels.
The photo does not appear in archived posts from verified government media accounts.Archive searches and checks show no evidence of publication by any verified Iranian outlet.The photo appears to have been widely reshared during a highly charged moment online and was wrongly attributed to state media.
What the picture actually is
A viral image is a digitally manipulated composite.It appears to have been created by taking original photos from previous events in which Khamenei met groups of schoolgirls during official ceremonies and inserting them into a fabricated “paradise” or paradise-style background.These original images are publicly available and date back several years.Additionally, some versions of the viral image include a fake screenshot layout falsely attributed to Mehr News Agency, an Iranian state media outlet. There is no evidence that Mehr News Agency – or any other official Iranian organization – published the photo.
What Iranian state media is actually reporting
Contrary to widespread claims, Iranian state media coverage after Khamenei’s death consisted of traditional mourning content.State media classified him as a martyr, using:
- Black themed graphics
- Quranic verses
- Official condolence letters
- The traditional language associated with state mourning
No confirmed Iranian government outlet has published the following:
- Any picture depicting Khamenei in heaven
- Any reference to “72 virgins”.
- Any images that include children in the context of the afterlife
conclusion
The claim that Iranian state media depicted Khamenei in heaven with “72 virgins” is not supported by evidence.The viral image is a manipulated composite using real photos from past public events, as well as a fabricated background and, in some cases, a fake media screenshot.There is no record of its publication by any official Iranian outlet.
