A 2018 video of Iranian MPs burning the U.S. flag is being shared now, linking it to the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict
On 13 June 2025, Israel launched attacks on more than a dozen targets across Iran under the codename Operation Rising Lion, with the stated objective of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Israel reportedly damaged key nuclear facilities and military installations, killing several of Iran’s top military leaders. In retaliation, Iran launched a series of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel under the name Operation True Promise 3.
The United States escalated its involvement by launching direct strikes on Iran under Operation Midnight Hammer. On the night of 21–22 June 2025, seven B-2 bombers and submarine-launched missiles targeted Iran’s key nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, severely damaging underground enrichment facilities. The U.S. described the attack as a pre-emptive move to degrade Iran’s nuclear capabilities, while Iran condemned it as an act of war and vowed retaliation.
Amidst these developments, a video has surfaced on social media (here, here, and here) claiming to show Iranian lawmakers burning the U.S. flag inside Parliament. The accompanying caption reads: “Breaking: In Iranian Parliament, MPs burn the American flag while chanting ‘Death to America,’ and threaten to use a nuclear bomb against the American homeland.” In this article, let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: The video shows Iranian lawmakers burning the U.S. flag inside Parliament and threatening to use a nuclear bomb against the U.S. amid the June 2025 Israel-Iran conflict.
Fact: The viral video dates back to 09 May 2018, and it is unrelated to the ongoing June 2025 Israel-Iran conflict. It shows Iranian lawmakers burning a placard resembling the U.S. flag inside Parliament, a day after then U.S. President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The protest was symbolic, expressing anger over the U.S. exit from the agreement. No credible report from 2018 mentions any threat by Iranian lawmakers to use a nuclear bomb, as claimed in the viral post. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led us to multiple news reports (here, here, and here) dated 09 May 2018 featuring the same footage. This confirms that the video is old and has no connection to the June 2025 Israel-Iran conflict.
According to these reports, the protest shown in the video took place inside the Iranian Parliament on 09 May 2018, a day after the then U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. Lawmakers were seen burning a placard resembling the U.S. flag, which symbolised their nuclear agreement with America. However, no credible report mentioned any threat by Iranian lawmakers to use a nuclear bomb against the U.S., as claimed in the viral posts.
Trump had announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on 08 May 2018 during his first presidential term. The deal, signed in July 2015 under Barack Obama’s administration, aimed to limit Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. Trump criticised it as “deeply flawed,” claiming it offered Iran sanctions relief without ensuring a permanent end to its nuclear ambitions.
To sum up, a 2018 video of Iranian lawmakers burning a U.S. flag after America’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal is shared, linking it to the June 2025 Israel-Iran conflict.