Viral video of Pakistan army convoy moving to Pak-Iran border amid political crisis in Iran

RATING JUSTIFICATION

The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is false.

To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan performed a reverse image search to identify the original source.

Multiple pro-Indian accounts on social media platform X on January 14, 2026, were sharing a video claiming that it showed the Pakistan Army mobilising at the border with Iran amid the ongoing crisis in Tehran. However, the video is old and unrelated to the current situation in Iran.

Protests erupted in Iran last week after authorities blacked out the internet to curb expanding demonstrations — which began on December 28 last year over an inflationary spiral — with phone calls not reaching the country, flights cancelled, and online Iranian news sites only intermittently updating.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused protesters of acting on behalf of US President Donald Trump, saying rioters were attacking public properties and warning that Tehran would not tolerate people acting as “mercenaries for foreigners”. Meanwhile, President Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in support of protesters.

In light of these developments, questions have been raised about — and addressed by the government — about Pakistan’s role in the ongoing situation.

HOW IT STARTED

On Jan 14, an Indian propaganda account on X shared a video with the following caption: “Breaking: Pakistan Army is reportedly deploying 30,000 additional troops along the Iran border after Army Chief Asim Munir received a call from senior US officials. Sources say the move may support US-Israel coordination if ground action begins in Iran.”

The clip shared with the post, which gathered 580,600 views, was captioned as “representative”, meaning that it did not show the actual alleged on-site situation.

However, as the post gained higher reach, the video went viral, with many people claiming that it was legitimate and showed real scenes.

A pro-Afghan user on X shared the clip with the caption: “Breaking: Reports say Pakistan Army is moving 30,000 more troops toward the Iran border after Army Chief Asim Munir spoke with senior US officials. Sources suggest the deployment could assist US-Israel coordination if a ground operation in Iran begins.”

The post racked up over 20,000 views.

The video and claim were soon also shared by other users, as seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively gaining more than 80,000 views.

METHODOLOGY

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the crisis in the Middle East.

A reverse image search showed that the same video was shared by former member of the Punjab Assembly Qaiser Abbas Khan on Facebook on May 3, 2025. “Pakistan Army Zindabad,” read the caption.

A Google Lens search also yielded results showing that the video was old, dating back to the Pakistan-India tensions in May 2025, as can be seen here, here, here, and here.

Furthermore, Fortress Square Mall in Lahore can clearly be seen in the viral video. Geolocating the exact site reveals that the military convoy is apparently moving towards the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, rather than towards the Pakistan-Iran border, which is located in Balochistan.

The video was further found to be shared as far back as April 27, 2025. Russian state broadcaster RT had also shared it on the same date with the following caption: “Pakistan allegedly masses troops and vehicles near Indian border. War drums grow louder.”

It can thus be seen that the video was shared well before May and rather in the aftermath of tensions after the April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam area.

Separately, a keyword search did not yield any news reports from mainstream international or local news outlets regarding Pakistan’s deployment of troops at the border with Iran.

On January 13, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting rejected reports circulating on social media alleging that Pakistan was being used as a base or launch corridor to support the United States for a possible military strike on Iran, according to Dawn.

When contacted, Dawn’s correspondent in Balochistan, Abdullah Zehri, confirmed that no military deployment had taken place, adding that the border had been shut and the only ongoing activity was the return of students and pilgrims from Iran.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that a viral video shows Pakistan military mobilisation at the Pak-Iran border amid the ongoing crisis in Iran is false.

The video is old from Lahore, dating back to atleast as far back as April 2025 in the wake of Pakistan-India tensions after the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

EVIDENCE AND REFERENCES

May 3, 2025, Facebook video:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=953423666695302

Geolocation on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NvD1MzYmYbcrXHss6