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X removes Blue Verification Badges of senior Iranian officials, triggers debate

By The South Asia Times

TEHRAN - X has removed the blue verification badges from the accounts of several senior Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and top security adviser Ali Larijani, prompting widespread reaction online.

Users on the platform noticed that the verified status had disappeared from the officials’ accounts, sparking speculation about the reasons behind the move.

X has not issued an official statement detailing why the badges were removed.

Under X’s current verification system, blue badges are typically granted to accounts subscribed to its premium service or those meeting specific identity and authenticity criteria.

Dupporters of the Iranian officials criticized the move, calling it politically motivated and accusing the platform of targeting figures from countries under Western sanctions. Others argued that verification on X is now primarily a subscription-based feature and does not necessarily reflect official status.

The development comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing scrutiny of social media platforms over their handling of state-affiliated accounts.

Without an official explanation from X, the exact reason for the badge removals remains unclear.