Deepfake Video of Shashi Tharoor Misleads Public Amid US-Iran Conflict

Severity: Medium (Score: 53.0)

Sources: Thequint, Boomlive.In

Summary

A deepfake video of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has gone viral, falsely depicting him praising Pakistan's role in mediating the US-Iran war and criticizing the Indian government. The video, shared by pro-Pakistan accounts, misrepresents Tharoor's statements from an actual interview conducted in December 2025, well before the conflict began. Fact-checking organizations confirmed the video as a deepfake using AI voice detection tools, revealing significant manipulation. Tharoor has urged the public to rely on his verified social media for authentic updates. The incident highlights the growing threat of deepfake technology in political discourse, especially during sensitive geopolitical events. As misinformation spreads, it poses risks to public trust and political stability. The original interview was aired on India Today, and the deepfake video has been flagged for its misleading content. Key Points: • A deepfake video falsely attributes statements to Shashi Tharoor regarding Pakistan's diplomacy. • The video was created using manipulated footage from a legitimate interview aired in December 2025. • Tharoor has publicly addressed the issue, urging followers to verify information through his official channels.

Key Entities

• India (country)
• Pakistan (country)
• thequint.com (domain)