A 2013 video of a physical altercation between guests on a Georgian TV show is being falsely shared in the context of the ongoing protests in Iran
Amid a severe economic crisis, nationwide anti-government protests have erupted across Iran. With inflation above 40% and the Iranian rial hitting record lows, the cost of living has sharply risen, fuelling widespread public anger (here, here, here and here). In this context, a video is circulating on social media showing two guests on a TV show getting into a heated argument that escalates into a physical fight, while the anchor and studio staff try to intervene. It is being claimed that the altercation took place between supporters of Ayatollah Khamenei and supporters of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. We examined the video to verify the claim.
Claim: The viral video shows supporters of Ayatollah Khamenei and exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi getting into a physical fight during a live Iranian TV debate amid ongoing anti-government protests.
Fact: The video is not from Iran and has no connection to the current protests. It shows a 2013 live TV brawl between Georgian MPs Koba Davitashvili and Sergo Ratiani during a political debate on the Georgian channel Maestro. No credible reports indicate such an incident occurred in Iran. Hence, the claim is FALSE.
A reverse image search led us to an extended version of the clip published by the Czech media news outlet Lidovky on 14 February 2013, many years before the recent unrest in Iran. According to the report, the incident occurred during a live TV debate on the Georgian channel Maestro, where two Georgian MPs, Koba Davitashvili and Sergo Ratiani, clashed over political disagreement. The argument escalated after Davitashvili threatened Ratiani, who responded with insults, leading to a physical altercation on live television.
Further searches led to multiple news reports (here, here and here) confirming that the clash happened in the context of rising political tensions between the Georgian Dream party and the United National Movement (ENM). The fight was reportedly triggered by a dispute over violence outside a National Library speech, which Davitashvili blamed on ENM lawmakers. During the debate, Ratiani smashed a glass and confronted Davitashvili, prompting a brawl that forced the broadcast to be cut off.
Additionally, a keyword search yielded no credible reports of such an altercation occurring in Iran in the context of the current protests. These findings confirm that the viral video is from Georgia in 2013 and has no connection to Iran, the ongoing protests, or supporters of Khamenei and Reza Pahlavi.
To sum up, a 2013 video of a physical altercation between guests on a Georgian TV show is being falsely shared in the context of the ongoing protests in Iran.