FactCheckRadar Real-Time Fact Checking 408 published fact-checks

Built for rumors, fast-moving news, and claims that spread faster than the proof.

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Mostly true

Sanctioned Tanker Rich Starry Successfully Transits Strait of Hormuz Despite Initial Turnaround

Claim checked

“There is unconfirmed reports Iranian tanker RICH STARRY has just passed through the strait of Hormuz and has been turned around by US navy ships.”

Reports that the tanker Rich Starry was "turned around" by the US Navy are only partially accurate and reflect an incomplete timeline. While the vessel did briefly reverse course on Monday, April 13, 2026, shortly after a US naval blockade of Iran took effect, it subsequently resumed its journey. Shipping data and multiple news outlets confirmed that the tanker successfully...

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Mostly true

Iran Reportedly Considers Pausing Shipping to Respect U.S. Blockade

Claim checked

“Iran reportedly may pause shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to respect the blockade & avoid jeopardizing U.S. talks.”

Reports regarding Iran's response to the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz are conflicting. While some diplomatic sources suggest a potential pause in shipping to facilitate resumed talks, official Iranian statements remain defiant, threatening that "no port" in the region will be safe if Iranian access is restricted.

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Supported

Iran's Deputy Parliament Speaker Claims Strait of Hormuz is Iran's 'Atomic Bomb'

Claim checked

“"Our atomic bomb is the Strait of Hormuz," Iran's Deputy Parliament Speaker Hamidreza Haji Babaei said on Sunday.”

On April 12, 2026, Iranian Deputy Parliament Speaker Hamidreza Haji Babaei reportedly described the Strait of Hormuz as Iran's "atomic bomb," emphasizing its strategic importance as a deterrent and a tool for economic leverage. This statement coincides with legislative efforts in the Iranian parliament to "nationalize" the waterway and impose transit tolls payable only in...

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Misleading

U.S. Navy shares food photos, says its sailors are well fed with no shortages

Claim checked

“U.S. Navy shares food photos, says its sailors are well fed with no shortages.”

The claim bundles two assertions: that the U.S. Navy shared food photos and stated its sailors are well-fed without shortages. While the Navy did issue an official statement denying food shortages on deployed ships like USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli, there is no evidence it shared any food photos itself. Viral photos circulating online depicted poor-quality meals,...

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Supported

Hungarian PM-elect Péter Magyar Affirms ICC Arrest Obligations for Netanyahu

Claim checked

“Newly elected Hungarian Prime Minister announces Netanyahu will be arrested if he enters Hungary.”

Newly elected Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has stated that Hungary is legally obligated to arrest individuals wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), specifically referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While Magyar reportedly extended a general invitation to world leaders for a national ceremony, he clarified that Hungary would not back down...

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Supported

Tisza Party Policy: Opposition to EU Migration Pact and Financial Framework

Claim checked

“Tisza further opposes the Commission’s proposal for the next EU multiannual financial framework (MFF), arguing that it disadvantages Hungary, and rejects the EU migration and asylum pact.”

The Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar, has officially signaled its opposition to the European Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. While the party maintains a pro-European stance and seeks to unlock frozen EU funds, its manifesto and public statements emphasize a "security-first" approach to migration and...

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Mostly true

Trump Warns of 'Lots of Bombs' if Iran Ceasefire Expires

Claim checked

“Trump: "I expect to be bombing Iran (after tomorrow) because I think that's a better attitude to go in with."”

While President Trump did issue a stark warning regarding military action against Iran, the specific quote circulating on social media appears to be a paraphrased or slightly altered version of his actual remarks. On April 20, 2026, Trump told PBS News that if the ceasefire expires, "then lots of bombs start going off." He did not use the exact phrasing "I expect to be bombing...

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Supported

Iran to Resume International Flights from Mashhad Airport

Claim checked

“Iran to resume international flights from Mashhad airport tomorrow, AFP reports citing Iranian media. The IRGC clearly don’t believe @realDonaldTrump will attack Iran again”

Reports from multiple international news agencies confirm that Iran's Civil Aviation Organization has authorized the resumption of international flights from Mashhad International Airport starting Monday, April 20, 2026. This follows a prolonged closure of Iranian airspace that began on February 28, 2026, due to military conflict with Israel and the United States.

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Supported

IranWire Report Claims Ghalibaf’s Social Media is Managed by Advisor in California

Claim checked

“Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf is posting in perfect English, with memes, hashtags & emojis, straight from CALIFORNIA. IranWire just published an article claiming that Ghalibaf's X account is run by ex-advisor Meysam Zamanabadi, living in Glendora, LA for a decade. Meysam is the son of one of the Islamic Republic’s first intelligence censors, the guy who shut down journalists right after the Revolution. Even after moving to America, he was still getting 40 million Tomans (~$11,000) every...”

An investigation by IranWire published on April 12, 2026, asserts that the sophisticated English-language social media presence of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is managed by a long-time advisor, Meysam Zamanabadi, who has lived in Glendora, California, for nearly a decade. The report details Zamanabadi's deep ties to the Iranian regime, his father's...

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Misleading

No new terrorist attack on Israeli embassy in London; trial for 2025 attempt begins

Claim checked

“Breaking Terrorist attack on the Israeli embassy in London Please post any updates you have below”

Social media posts claiming a "breaking" terrorist attack on the Israeli embassy in London are misleading. While news regarding a terrorist plot at the embassy surfaced on April 15–16, 2026, it refers to the commencement of a trial for an attempted attack that occurred in April 2025. There have been no reports of a new or successful attack occurring in April 2026.

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Supported

Reports Confirm Death of Basij Commander Mohammad Shirmohammadian in Tehran

Claim checked

“Last night, notorious basiji commander Mohammad Shirmohammadian was stabbed 14 times and killed by masked individuals near Pardis, Tehran. Bear in mind: This is not how the Mossad operates. We are likely seeing the rise of Iranians taking action with their own hands.”

Multiple reports from April 14 and 15, 2026, confirm that Mohammad Shirmohammadian, a commander of a Basij base in Tehran, was killed by unknown individuals. While the social media claim specifies he was stabbed 14 times near Pardis, other reports indicate he was shot in District 18 (Hosseini Ferdous neighborhood). Despite the discrepancy in the method of killing (stabbing vs....

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Supported

Pakistan Mediates US-Iran Ceasefire Extension Amid Rising Tensions

Claim checked

“According to Al Arabiya, Pakistani Prime Minister Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked the U.S. and Iran to extend the nominal ceasefire, set to expire in the next 48 hours, two extra weeks, as both sides find it increasingly hard to find points of convergence that would”

Reports from Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera confirm that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other top officials are actively mediating between the U.S. and Iran to extend a fragile ceasefire set to expire on April 22, 2026. Pakistan is pushing for a multi-day negotiation framework to secure a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that could extend the truce by up to 60 days.

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Supported

White House Confirms JD Vance Will Lead Iran Talks Despite Trump’s Earlier Denial

Claim checked

“U.S. Vice President JD Vance will attend the next round of Iran talks in Pakistan along with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the White House has told CNN, after President Trump told ABC News that Vance would not be attempting the talks in Islamabad. In response to the conflicting messages over the U.S. delegation, a White House official said: “things changed.””

The White House and multiple senior officials have confirmed that Vice President JD Vance will lead the U.S. delegation to Islamabad for a second round of peace talks with Iran. This follows a period of public confusion on April 19, 2026, after President Trump initially told media outlets that Vance would not attend due to security concerns.

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Supported

Iran Declares Strait of Hormuz Closed, Citing U.S. Negotiation Failures

Claim checked

“Reuters is reporting that Iran is broadcasting this VHF message: "Attention all ships, ​regarding the failure ⁠of the U.S. government to fulfil its commitment in the negotiation, Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz completely ​closed again. No vessel of any type or nationality ​is allowed ⁠to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.””

On April 18, 2026, reports from Reuters and other major news outlets confirmed that Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz completely closed to all maritime traffic. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard is reportedly broadcasting a VHF radio message to all ships in the area, stating that the closure is a direct result of the U.S. government's failure to fulfill its commitments in...

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Supported

U.S. Forces Seize Iranian-Flagged Cargo Ship in Gulf of Oman

Claim checked

“U.S. forces have seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after it tried to get pass the naval blockade. U.S. marines are currently on the vessel and have “full custody” of the ship, President Trump announced.”

On April 19, 2026, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces successfully seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel was intercepted after attempting to bypass a U.S. naval blockade. U.S. Marines are currently on board and have taken "full custody" of the ship.

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Contradicted

Reports of Trump Traveling to Pakistan for Iran Talks Contradicted by Recent Events

Claim checked

“Reporting in Pakistani media suggests that President Trump will be traveling to Pakistan on Thursday. According to Pakistani journalists, US President Trump is likely to attend the second round of US-IRAN talks.”

Claims that President Trump is traveling to Pakistan this Thursday to attend a second round of US-Iran talks are contradicted by recent reports. While high-level negotiations did take place in Islamabad, they concluded on Sunday, April 12, 2026, without an agreement. Following the failure of these talks, President Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and...

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Supported

IRGC Defies Iranian Foreign Minister, Maintains Strait of Hormuz Closure

Claim checked

“Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi: "The Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open." IRGC Navy: "The Strait of Hormuz is closed. We will open it by the order of Khamenei, not by the tweet of some idiot" IRGC is running the show. Ghalibaf and Araghchi are useful idiots. _”

Reports from April 18, 2026, confirm a major public rift within the Iranian leadership regarding the Strait of Hormuz. While Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced the waterway was "completely open" following a Lebanon ceasefire, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy immediately overrode him. In a maritime broadcast, the IRGC reportedly labeled the Foreign...

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Supported

Israel is seeking regime change in Iran, per Axios.

Claim checked

“Israel is seeking regime change in Iran, per Axios.”

Reports from Axios and other outlets confirm that Israel has made the downfall of the Iranian government a core objective of its military operations. While the United States has focused primarily on military infrastructure, Israeli officials have explicitly stated their goal is to create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow the regime.

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Supported

Péter Magyar Wins Hungarian Election, Ending Orbán’s 16-Year Rule

Claim checked

“Hungary Election Winner Péter Magyar Backs Orbán’s Opt-Out from €90 Billion EU Loan to Ukraine”

Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party have won the 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election, defeating long-time Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. While Magyar is pro-European and seeks to unlock frozen EU funds, he has adopted a cautious stance on Ukraine that mirrors some of Orbán's policies, specifically regarding the refusal to send troops or weapons. Evidence confirms that Magyar has...

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