Overview
- Fact-checkers on Tuesday said the audio was edited and traced the first post with the sound to Australian comedian James Kennedy on April 5.
- The verified X account of the Iranian Embassy in Kenya reposted the doctored clip on Monday with the caption “The Strait is opened.”
- Comparisons with full March 13 briefing videos from the Associated Press and other feeds found only paper rustle and mic creaks, not flatulence.
- The clip drew millions of views across platforms and briefly stole attention from Pete Hegseth’s warning about larger U.S. strikes if Iran did not change course.
- Investigators used reverse-image searches and a posting timeline to identify the source, underscoring how satire can be repurposed for diplomatic taunts during U.S.–Iran tensions.