Fact Check: Did Elon Musk warn Iran against using nuclear weapons?

WASHINGTON, DC: A social media post claiming that billionaire Elon Musk warned Iran against using nuclear weapons has been circulating online, attracting attention and sparking discussions about rising tensions in the Middle East.

The viral post suggests that Musk issued a strong warning, saying that any nuclear attack on another country, including the United States, would have serious consequences. Let's examine the claim.

Claim: Elon Musk warned Iran against using nuclear weapon

The claim was shared as breaking news and included a short video. It read, "BREAKING: ELON MUSK WARNS THAT IF IRAN USES A NUCLEAR WEAPON AGAINST ANY COUNTRY, INCLUDING AMERICA, IT WILL BE THE EN..."

Within a few hours of being shared, the post received more than 1.6 million views and attracted several comments.

Although concerns about Iran's nuclear programme and tensions with the United States have drawn international attention, the post has raised questions about its authenticity.

One user questioned the claim, writing, "But I thought the only Country in the Middle East to have an actual Nuclear Weapon was Israel #WhoKnew." Another commenter simply responded, "He meant Israel."

However, the attached video only shows a still, split-screen image of Elon Musk and an Iranian leader. It contains no audio, recorded speech from Musk, or subtitles to support the claim.

Fact Check: No evidence to support the claim

The claim is false. There is no reliable evidence that Elon Musk made the alleged warning about Iran using nuclear weapons. Searches of Musk's X account, public statements, interviews, and news reports found no post or statement matching the viral claim.

Searches using keywords related to Musk, Iran, and nuclear weapons also found no credible reports confirming that he made such a warning.

The video shared with the post does not provide any proof of the claim. It shows a mostly still, split-screen image of Musk and an Iranian official, who appears to resemble Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The video contains no audio of Musk speaking, no subtitles showing the alleged warning, and no original footage of him making the statement.

Similar posts claiming that Musk issued this warning have also circulated without any evidence from his official account or reliable news sources.

Musk has been mentioned in discussions about the 2026 US-Iran conflict. Iranian state media previously threatened Starlink and other businesses linked to Musk as possible targets.

He has also interacted with social media posts discussing nuclear weapons and possible US military action against Iran. However, none of these discussions confirms that he made the specific warning shared in the viral post about Iran using a nuclear weapon.