Israeli activist exposes false media reports about her death in Iran protests

An Israeli social media activist has exposed false reports by Israeli media claiming that she was killed during anti-government protests in Iran, saying she was shocked to read news of her own death while sitting at home.

Noiya Tsion, an Israeli activist who manages social media accounts for artists in Israel, said she was stunned to see her photo displayed on Israel’s privately owned Channel 12 as one of the alleged victims of the Iran protests.

The channel claimed that four Iranians of Jewish origin were killed during protests over worsening economic conditions in Iran. The broadcaster said that the toll could be higher, citing difficulty to verify the figure due to an internet blackout in the country.

After the report emerged, several Israeli media outlets and journalists shared the claim on social media, with some asserting that the number of Jewish fatalities in Iran had risen to five.

Channel 14, an outlet close to Israel’s right-wing camp and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reported without verification that the victims included a father, 32, wife, 29, a relative, 25 and a child, 15, who it said were killed on the streets of Tehran.

The channel also claimed, without citing sources, that 36,000 protesters had been killed nationwide, a figure that it said is “extremely high by any measure.”

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Tsion publicly refuted the claims in a video posted on US social media company TikTok, appearing visibly shocked as she reacted to news reports announcing her death and showing her image on screen.

“I’m at home. I need to go to training in half an hour,” she said.

Israeli media outlets that circulated the report did not issue apologies.

Channel 12, which first aired the claim, said Monday that images of alleged Jewish victims in Iran had spread widely on social media worldwide, including in Israel.

In an attempt to deflect responsibility, the channel said reports had emerged a day earlier about the deaths of four Iranian Jews during the protests and that the images circulated globally.

The channel added that Tsion later saw herself on television identified as one of the Iranians killed.

Tsion told Channel 12 that she has no relatives or acquaintances in Iran.

Her video was widely shared by Israelis, with calls on social media to take legal action against the media outlets that published the false reports.

The protests erupted in Iran in late December 2025 and lasted nearly two weeks, triggered by a sharp depreciation of the local currency and a worsening economic crisis. Demonstrations began in Tehran and later spread to several cities. President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged public anger and pledged to work to improve conditions.

In the absence of an official casualty toll, the US-based Iranian human rights agency HRANA reported that 5,459 people were killed, including dozens of security personnel. Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs put the death toll at 3,117.

The developments coincided with fears of a possible US strike against Iran. Tehran accuses Washington of seeking to escalate sanctions, pressure and unrest to pave the way for external intervention and regime change.

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