ATHENS: The <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-11" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Middle East war</a> has unleashed a torrent of AI-driven disinformation. Beyond entirely fabricated visuals, another kind of content is spreading: authentic images &quot;enhanced&quot; in ways that experts say are subtly distorting perceptions of what&#39;s happening on the ground. In one striking photo, a kneeling US pilot is confronted by a Kuwaiti local, moments after parachuting from his jet. The high-quality image was widely shared online and even published by media outlets. Yet the pilot appears to have only four fingers on each hand. AFP fact-checkers ran the photo through AI detection tools and found it contained a SynthID, an invisible watermark meant to identify images made with Google AI. But that&#39;s not the whole story. The situation itself appears to be genuine. A video showing the same scene began circulating on social media on March 2, and satellite imagery verified the location. It also corresponded with reports that day that Kuwait had mistakenly shot down three US warplanes. AFP was also able to locate an earlier version of the photo on Telegram that matched the high-resolution photo exactly, except that it was blurry. AI verification tools determined this image, which had none of the same detail in the pilot&#39;s face, was real. This suggests it may have served as the starting point for the image that returned the Google AI result. &quot;AI-enhancement may subtly alter textures, faces, lighting, or background details, creating an image that looks more &#39;real&#39; than the original,&quot; said Evangelos Kanoulas, a professor in AI at the University of Amsterdam. This can &quot;strengthen a particular narrative about an event &ndash; for example, making a protest appear more violent, making a crowd appear larger, making facial expressions more intense.&quot; In another case, social media users shared a dramatic image of a huge blaze near Erbil airport in Iraq, after the area was targeted by Iranian strikes on March 1. Although SynthID detection recognized the use of Google AI in the picture, it was not a total fabrication. The original version of the image shows the same scene but with a far smaller fire and smoke column, and less vivid colors. &nbsp;&#39;Very different story&#39; Experts warned that the line between enhancement and content generation, accidentally or intentionally, was a thin one. &quot;Even little changes can end up telling a very different story,&quot; said James O&#39;Brien, a professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, and &quot;could change the perception of events&quot;. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/vatican-warns-ai-could-lead-to-social-control" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Generative artificial intelligence</a> is also still prone to error and may &quot;hallucinate&quot; elements that were not in the original image, Kanoulas added. This happened following the shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in the US state of Minneapolis in January, when an AI-enhanced image of the incident went viral. The image was based on a frame taken from a genuine video of the shooting, showing Pretti falling to his knees with officers beside him, one of them holding a gun to his head. In the grainy, low-quality frame, Pretti holds an object that in reality was a phone. In the AI-treated image, some social media users wrongly saw a weapon in his hand. As the war triggered by the US-Israeli attacks on Iran rages on, experts said that without proper labeling, <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ai-agent-invasion-has-people-trying-to-pick-winners" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">AI-enhanced images</a> further eroded the public&#39;s trust. This kind of content was already having &quot;a huge impact on people and their ability to trust the truth,&quot; said O&#39;Brien. &quot;People start doubting authentic images as well,&quot; Kanoulas agreed.

The shadow of a fighter falls on the shrapnel scarred wall of a damaged building, following an Iranian drone attack near Erbil, in Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region on March 9, 2026. (AFP)

Artificial Intelligence

AI-enhanced but real images from Middle East conflicts are spreading online, subtly altering perceptions of events. Experts warn such manipulations blur truth, fueling misinformation and public distrust in genuine visuals.

AI-enhanced images of real events distort view of Mideast war

GOLD COAST: Iran&#39;s players sang the national anthem and saluted before bowing out of the Women&#39;s Asian Cup with defeat in their last group match on Sunday in Australia. When Iran faced South Korea on Monday in their opening game the players stood motionless, two days after the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-israel-war-on-iran-day-9" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US and Israel</a> began a war against the country. But on Thursday in their second game, against hosts Australia, all the Iranian players saluted and sang the anthem on the Gold Coast. Against the Philippines on Sunday they again sang and saluted as the rain came down on Queensland&#39;s Gold Coast. They went on to lose the encounter 2-0, ending their hopes of reaching the next round. No public reason was given for the players&#39; original stance over the pre-game national anthem. Coach Marziyeh Jafari has said her team have &quot;so much concern&quot; about their families as the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/oil-water-and-internet-how-strait-of-hormuz-controls-global-economy" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">conflict raged</a> and that players felt &quot;fully disconnected&quot; from their loved ones. Speaking to national broadcaster ABC ahead of Sunday&#39;s game, Foreign Minister Penny Wong was asked about the prospect of the team going home. &quot;I want to say about the Iranian women&#39;s team that it has been really moving for Australians to see them in Australia,&quot; she said. Wong added that the sight of the Australian players swapping shirts with their Iranian opponents was &quot;a very evocative moment&quot;. &quot;It spoke to solidarity and the way in which sport can bring us together,&quot; she said. Iran lost 3-0 to South Korea and 4-0 to Australia to finish bottom of Group A with nine goals conceded and none scored.

Iranian players, goalkeeper Raha Yazdani (R), Melika Motevalli (C) and Fatemeh Amineh, salute during the national anthem before the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 football match between Iran and Philippines in Gold Coast on March 8, 2026. (AFP) 

Football

Iran lost 3-0 to South Korea and 4-0 to Australia to finish bottom of Group A with nine goals conceded and none scored.

Iran sing national anthem before bowing out of Women's Asian Cup

Web Desk/AFP

Middle East

Americas

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations condemns US interference after President Donald Trump insisted that he should be involved in selecting the successor of slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

All you need to know about Day 7 of US-Israeli war on Iran

According to the Iran state TV, Iranian Drones struck aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warns any ground invasion of Iran would be disastrous for its enemies. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of "terrorism" after drone attacks but Iran denied involvement and blamed Israel. 

All you need to know about Day 6 of US-Israeli war on Iran

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting on evacuating Pakistanis from Iran and those residing in Gulf countries. According to an official statement from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, officials briefed PM Sharif on the ongoing process to evacuate Pakistani nationals from Iran. Pakistani nationals are/have been returning safely, officials reported. The meeting reviewed steps by Pakistani embassies to assist citizens in Gulf countries. PM Sharif directed that all embassies must remain available around the clock to provide facilities. He directed the country&rsquo;s Foreign Office to monitor the situation continuously. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, and other senior officials. Foreign Office statement Meanwhile, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Thursday stated that the government has initiated proactive measures to evacuate its citizens from Iran and support stranded nationals across the region. According to an official statement released by the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs&#39; Crisis Management Unit (CMU) now operates 24 hours a day. Staff members monitor regional developments and provide direct assistance to Pakistani nationals. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 922px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2029518714681561551&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=5d6cf356a38ac6626b66c098452c18dee51dc81a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2029518714681561551"></iframe></div></div> Andrabi stated that under directives from PM Sahrif, Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic missions have opened Special Facilitation Desks. These centers manage visa facilitation, logistics, and travel arrangements for stranded citizens. Missions also launched dedicated mobile applications, registration portals, and helplines to improve outreach. The spokesperson said that Pakistani diplomats are working with host governments to secure consular support for the diaspora. Commercial flights have partially resumed, allowing some stranded individuals to begin returning to their destinations. He stated that the government continues to prioritize the safety and return of overseas Pakistanis. Emergency contact details for the ministry and its missions are available on official websites.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting on evacuating Pakistanis from Iran and those residing in Gulf countries.(PMO)

Foreign Affairs

PM Sharif directed that all embassies must remain available around the clock to provide facilities.

PM Sharif chairs meeting on evacuating Pakistanis from Iran, Gulf

Two drones were shot down near Baghdad airport with no casualties, while Iran launched fresh missile and drone attacks on Israel. Iraq faced a nationwide blackout, and NATO intercepted an Iranian missile over regional airspace.

All you need to know about Day 5 of US-Israeli war on Iran

Iran reports no radioactive leak at Natanz nuclear site after US-Israeli strikes; Israeli attacks displace 58,000 in Lebanon; Russia urges de-escalation; explosions heard in Gulf cities; Trump claims Iran’s capabilities largely destroyed

All you need to know about Day 4 of US-Israeli war on Iran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif warned that a Zionist-orchestrated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-israel-strikes-iran-live-updates" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">war against Iran</a>&nbsp;aims to extend Israeli influence to Pakistan&rsquo;s border, threatening to surround the nuclear-armed nation with a joint hostile front. The defense minister characterized Zionism &ldquo;as a primary threat to humanity&rdquo; and the &ldquo;cause of every catastrophe in the Islamic world&rdquo; since Israel&rsquo;s establishment. He stated that Zionist ideology and the state have controlled the global economic system for a century. Khawaja Asif stated that major world powers currently remain hostage to these interests. Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear deterrent and sovereignty The minister stated that Pakistan&rsquo;s status as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-nuclear-agency-to-hold-extraordinary-meeting-on-iran-monday" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">nuclear power</a>&nbsp;protects its national sovereignty. He credited the courage of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for conducting nuclear tests and praised the worldwide recognition of the nation&#39;s armed forces. Khawaja Asif said the country remains indebted to its &ldquo;martyrs and ghazis&rdquo; for protecting its security. Threats of regional encirclement The defense minister stated that a war is being imposed on Iran despite its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-lawmakers-say-no-evidence-iran-had-planned-first-strike-on-us" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">readiness for agreements</a>. He said the agenda seeks to create a &quot;single point&quot; of enmity involving Afghanistan, Iran, and India. This alignment would make Pakistani borders insecure and turn the nation into a &quot;vassal state.&quot; &ldquo;Despite Iran&#39;s readiness for agreement, a war has been imposed upon them, and its agenda, orchestrated by the Zionists, includes bringing Israel&#39;s influence right up to Pakistan&#39;s border. The joint single point agenda of Afghanistan, Iran, and India will then be enmity towards Pakistan, making our borders insecure, surrounding us with enemies from all sides, and turning Pakistan into a vassal state,&rdquo; he said. Call for national unity The defense minister urged all 250 million Pakistanis to look past political and religious affiliations to understand these intentions. He called for unity across the Muslim world to recognize its &ldquo;eternal enemies.&rdquo; Khawaja Asif concluded with prayers for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/arab-countries-condemn-us-ambassadors-remarks-on-israels-right-to-mideast-land" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">freedom of Palestine</a> and the continued strength of Pakistan.

Defense Minister of Pakistan Khawaja Muhammad Asif. (Associated Press of Pakistan)

Security

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif says Israel is creating a hostile front to surround and destabilize the nuclear-armed nation.

War on Iran aims to bring Israeli influence to Pakistan border: Defense Minister

ISLAMABAD: US officials informed congressional staff that there was no intelligence indicating Iran intended to attack United States forces prior to the joint US-Israeli strikes, according to sources familiar with the sessions, CNN reported. The disclosure by CNN contradicts public statements from the Trump administration claiming a preemptive strike on Iran was needed to prevent an &ldquo;imminent threat.&rdquo; According to CNN, officials acknowledged in closed-door briefings that Iran&rsquo;s intent was defensive. Sources reportedly said the Pentagon cited Iran&rsquo;s ballistic missile program and proxy forces as persistent threats but noted these capabilities had existed for years and did not justify a pre-emptive strike. No intelligence on Iran&#39;s readiness to strike USIn an interview with the American news organization, the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Mark Warner, said he &ldquo;saw no intelligence that Iran was on the verge of launching any kind of pre-emptive strike against the United States of America.&rdquo; The Democrat lawmaker described the administration&rsquo;s decision as a &ldquo;war of choice&rdquo; and questioned the timing of the strike. &ldquo;The decision to put our service members in harm&rsquo;s way was entirely based upon the President&rsquo;s decision, not an imminent threat to America,&rdquo; he said to CNN. Administration claims Senior officials said Saturday that the US launched strikes on Iran because of indications the regime might pre-emptively attack US bases, according to CNN. The sources said there was no intelligence to support that rationale. Briefers said US forces focused the first two days on destroying Iranian air defenses and command-and-control nodes. Sources said future operations would target ballistic missile launch sites. Officials said the US has been &ldquo;burning through long-range precision guided munitions&rdquo; and would continue until US and Israeli forces were confident of air superiority over Iran. White House spokesperson Dylan Johnson said the Pentagon &ldquo;briefed the bipartisan staffs of several national security committees in both chambers for over 90 minutes on the military action in Iran.&rdquo; Warnings of potential retaliation Warner said the president missed an earlier opportunity in January, when millions of Iranians were protesting, to take strategic action. At that time, an aircraft carrier capable of supporting operations was off the coast of Venezuela, and European allies were distracted. He said eliminating Iran&rsquo;s supreme leader could benefit regional stability but warned of potential retaliation. &ldquo;We have had very little visibility into what happens next after the supreme leader is eliminated,&rdquo; Warner said. Warner described the Iranian regime as deeply entrenched and likely to resist. &ldquo;We are seeing just the opening salvos of what could be a sustained war in the region,&rdquo; he said. He stated that the US president must justify military actions to Congress and the American people. &ldquo;When the president commits American forces to a war of choice, he needs to come before Congress and the American people and ask for a declaration of war.&rdquo;

Residents stand on a street beside damaged residential buildings near Niloufar square in Tehran during the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign on Iran on March 2, 2026. (AFP)

The disclosure by CNN contradicts public statements from the Trump administration claiming a pre-emptive strike on Iran was needed to prevent an 'imminent threat.'

Congresssional staff told no evidence Iran had planned first strike on US

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;The Pakistan embassy in the UAE launched an online registration system on Monday to enhance coordination with its citizens living in the emirates as the escalating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/no-us-troops-on-ground-in-iran-now-but-well-go-as-far-as-we-need-defense-secretary" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">conflict</a>&nbsp;between Iran, Israel, and the United States continues. The move follows a series of retaliatory strikes across the Persian Gulf that have claimed the life of at least one Pakistani national in Abu Dhabi. Emergency response measures The Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai established 24-hour facilitation desks on Sunday to support the expatriate community. Officials encouraged all Pakistanis in the region to register through a new digital portal to ensure &quot;necessary support and coordination&quot; during the crisis. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 608px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2028355254497267834&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4519%2F&sessionId=f3acbf03de11989d80aa5ca41fdf7613e1ac2b52&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The diplomatic mission said it remains &quot;fully engaged&quot; even as explosions were reported in Dubai and Doha for a third consecutive day. The outreach efforts come as the regional security situation deteriorates following the killing of Iran&rsquo;s supreme leader. Travel advisory issued Authorities have advised Pakistani nationals to avoid all non-mandatory travel to Iran. Those currently residing in Iran were instructed to exercise extreme caution, minimize movement, and maintain regular contact with Pakistani diplomatic missions. The conflict has expanded significantly, with <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-israel-strikes-iran-live-updates" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hezbollah launching</a> rocket barrages into Israel and Israeli forces conducting broad strikes on Tehran.

A plume of smoke rises from the Zayed Port following a reported Iranian strike in Abu Dhabi on March 1, 2026. (AFP)

The embassy launches an emergency registration portal and 24-hour facilitation desks in the UAE to coordinate support, manage potential evacuations, and assist citizens stranded by the intensifying regional conflict.

Articles tagged with "Israel strikes Iran"