Fact-check: Claim that Iran blamed Pakistan's ISI for Bondi Beach attack is fake

After two gunmen opened fire at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on December 14, a press release allegedly issued by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) began circulating on social media. The document accused Pakistan’s intelligence agency of planning the attack.

The press release is fabricated.

Claim

On December 20, an India-based user on X (formerly Twitter) shared a purported press release attributed to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, claiming that the Sydney attack was orchestrated by elements within Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

“Intelligence indicates that this operation was a calculated deceptive measure, orchestrated not by Tehran but under the direction of elements within Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI),” the document read.

The document was signed by Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who was identified as Iran’s minister of foreign affairs.

At the time of writing, the post had garnered more than 119,000 views, over 1,000 reposts, and nearly 3,000 likes.

The same letter was also shared by other India-based accounts on X and Facebook, which can be viewed here, here, and here.

Fact

The press release is fraudulent. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not issued any such statement.

Iran’s embassy in Islamabad has categorically dismissed the document as fake.

“This is 100% fake,” a senior embassy official, who requested anonymity, told Geo Fact Check over the phone. “The language, tone, format, and content do not align with our official communications. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not issue this press release.”

The official also shared a verified statement issued by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X regarding the Bondi Beach attack, which can be read here:

Additionally, Geo Fact Check found no record of such a press release on the official website of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or on the ministry’s verified X account around the time the claim began circulating. The ministry’s official website can be accessed here: https://t.co/zzBC88z96l

Verdict: The purported press release attributed to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is self-generated.

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