Iran says X removed verification badges from its foreign ministry accounts

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, said the blue check mark had been removed

Iran said the US social media company X removed verification badges from accounts linked to its foreign ministry, calling the move “selective censorship” despite paid Premium+ subscriptions.

X has now removed the blue check from Iran's MFA Spokesperson’s account—after stripping the Ministry and Minister's verified badges—despite our full Premium+ payments.
This arbitrary de-verification fits X’s pattern of selective censorship and American digital piracy, aimed at…

— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) May 5, 2026

The statement, posted on X on Tuesday by Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, said the blue check mark had been removed from the spokesperson’s account as well as from the ministry and the foreign minister’s profiles.

It described the action as “arbitrary de-verification,” alleging it reflected a broader pattern aimed at suppressing what it called information about the US-Iran conflict.

There has been no immediate response from X to the claim.

On February 28, 2026, US and Israel preemptively attack on Iran. Iran fired drones and missiles on Isreal and US military bases and installations in UAE, Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries. 

Tehran also disrupted oil tankers at the Strait of Hormuz, an energy artery responsible for 20 per cent oil and gas flow from Gulf to other parts of the world. 

The closure of Hormuz is causing a near standstill in commercial shipping and a surge in energy prices worldwide. It has also signalled plans to impose tolls or restrictions on vessels transiting the strait, leveraging its strategic position amid the conflict.

The disruption has heightened fears of a prolonged energy shock and broader regional instability, with global powers weighing military and diplomatic options to restore access to the key waterway.