Fact Check: Viral Video Of Qassem Soleimani’s Funeral Misrepresented As A Rally Held In Support Of Iran’s Current Government
Vishvas News, in its investigation, found that the viral claim is misleading. This video dates back to 2020 and shows people attending the funeral of Iranian commander and head of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani. The old video is being circulated with a false claim of support, linking it to the ongoing protests in Iran.
- By: Umam Noor
- Published: Jan 8, 2026 at 04:04 PM
New Delhi (Vishvas News): Protests against the Iranian government have been ongoing since December 2025. Amid these protests, a video is going viral on social media, showing a crowd gathered in one place. While sharing the video, it is being claimed that the footage is related to rallies held in support of the Iranian government.
Vishvas News, in its investigation, found that the viral claim is misleading. This video dates back to 2020 and shows people attending the funeral of Iranian commander and head of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani. The old video is being circulated with a false claim of support, linking it to the ongoing protests in Iran.
What is in the viral post?
Facebook user shared the video on January 6, 2026 and wrote, “A massive rally in support of the government in Iran.”
The archived version of the post can be seen here:
Investigation
To begin our investigation, we first searched the viral video using Google Lens. Our investigation led us to the video uploaded on January 6, 2020, by an X (formerly Twitter) handle named Wakazi. According to the information provided there, this is a video of Qasem Soleimani’s funeral.
Based on this, we carried the investigation forward and found the same video uploaded on January 6, 2020, on a Facebook page named ‘Uzbekistan Official’. The post stated, “Thousands of people attended the funeral of Iranian commander and head of the Quds Force, Soleimani, who was killed by the US.”
While searching for news related to this matter, we also found the viral video in a report dated January 5, 2020, on Iran’s news website Mashregh News. The report stated that the crowd seen in Ahvaz, Iran, had gathered to attend the funeral procession of Commander Qasem Soleimani.
According to news reports, Soleimani was killed in a drone strike on January 3, 2020. Related news can be read on the websites of BBC, The Guardian, and CNBC.
Next, we verified the information related to the viral post. We reached out to Iranian journalist Fatima Karim Khan. She told us that the video is from Commander Qasem Soleimani’s funeral and is not related to the recent protests.
It is worth noting that protests in Iran, which began against inflation and a weakening economy, have now turned violent on a large scale. People are out on the streets in several cities, and clashes with security forces are being reported at many places. Reports suggest that at least 30–35 people have been killed and thousands arrested.
Lastly, we conducted a social scan of the Facebook user Shailendra Dixit, who shared the misleading post and found that the user has around 6000 followers and frequently shares ideology-driven posts.
Conclusion: Vishvas News, in its investigation, found that the viral claim is misleading. This video dates back to 2020 and shows people attending the funeral of Iranian commander and head of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani. The old video is being circulated with a false claim of support, linking it to the ongoing protests in Iran.
- Claim Review : This video is related to rallies held in support of the Iranian government.
- Claimed By : Facebook user Shailendra Dixit
- Fact Check : False
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