Fact Check: Is the video of people throwing Molotovs from Iran protests real?

TEHRAN, IRAN: A short video showing several people hurling Molotov cocktails on an open street has been widely shared on social media in recent days, with users claiming it is from the ongoing protests in Iran.

The video has also sparked speculation, with some questioning whether it is actually linked to the protests. Let us fact-check the claim.

Claim: People threw Molotov cocktails during Iran protests

A video showing people throwing Molotov cocktails on an open street, allegedly in Iran, was shared by an X user named David Vance. The post included the caption: “1.5–1.85 million Iranians are in the streets fighting tonight… The people’s revolution has spread to: – 512 locations – 180 cities – All provinces. This is a revolution that will make history!”

As of now, the video has garnered lakhs of views on X.

Fact Check: The video is from Greece, not Iran

The video is neither from Iran nor recent. It can be traced back to November 2025 and shows a group of people throwing Molotov cocktails at riot police in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Key frames from the video were subjected to a reverse image search using a video verification tool called InVid, which led to visuals uploaded on Instagram on November 2, 2025.

A Google search for the footage produced the same video uploaded by a user named @tou_rio. While the original post did not include a caption, most of the comments were written in Greek.

Based on these findings, a keyword search in Greek using the phrase “επίθεση μολότοφ” (translated as Molotov attack) was conducted, with the time filter set to November 2025. This search led to a report by the Greek outlet EPT News.

According to the report, around 50 people attacked police forces outside the Turkish consulate in Thessaloniki. Therefore, it is confirmed that the video has been falsely linked to the protests in Iran.  

Protests intensify in Iran

The demonstrations in Iran began as protests over economic conditions before expanding into a nationwide movement challenging the country’s leadership.

The unrest continued for more than two weeks before authorities launched a sweeping security response. With internet access curtailed across much of the country, independent reporting has remained limited.

Sources inside Iran told CBS News that at least 12,000 people, and possibly as many as 20,000, are feared to have been killed.

Thousands more have been detained and could face severe penalties under Iran’s judicial system.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.