Fact Check: "Iranian media reported that five car bombs exploded in Tehran on Sunday amid ongoing tensions with Israel."
What We Know
On June 15, 2025, several sources reported that Iranian media claimed five car bombs had exploded in Tehran, attributing the attacks to Israel amidst escalating tensions between the two nations (source-4, source-5). The reports emerged during a period of intense military exchanges, with Israel conducting airstrikes on Iranian targets and Iran retaliating with missile attacks on Israel (source-1, source-2).
Iran's state news agency, IRNA, and other outlets reported that these explosions were part of a broader narrative of conflict, with Iranian officials blaming Israel for the bombings (source-7). However, there has been no independent verification of these claims, and reports from other news agencies have not corroborated the occurrence of these bombings.
Analysis
The claim of five car bombs exploding in Tehran is primarily sourced from Iranian state media, which is often viewed with skepticism due to its potential biases and the political context in which it operates. The Iranian government has a history of using media narratives to bolster domestic support and frame external adversaries negatively (source-5).
While multiple outlets reported the claim, including Al Jazeera and The Times of Israel, these reports rely heavily on Iranian state sources without independent verification. In contrast, other reputable news organizations such as the New York Times and Associated Press focused on the broader context of the military exchanges without confirming the specific claim of car bombings in Tehran (source-1, source-2).
Given the lack of corroborating evidence from independent sources and the potential for misinformation in state-controlled narratives, the reliability of the claim is questionable.
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The claim that five car bombs exploded in Tehran, as reported by Iranian media, lacks independent verification and is primarily based on potentially biased state sources. Other reputable news outlets have not confirmed these bombings, focusing instead on the broader military conflict between Israel and Iran. Therefore, without credible evidence to support the claim, it is deemed false.
Sources
- Live Updates: Israel Launches New Strikes on Tehran
- Iran hits Israel with a second wave of missiles
- Iran strikes back at Israel with missiles over Jerusalem, Tel ...
- Five car bombs detonated in Tehran, Iranian media reports, blaming Israel
- Iran reports 5 car bomb explosions in Tehran by Israel - Anadolu AjansΔ±
- Multiple car bombs rock Tehran, Iranian reports say nuclear scientists ...
- Israel-Iran live news: IRGC intelligence chief, two generals ...
- Israel-Iran live: Explosions reported in central Tehran as countries ...