On Tuesday night, MSNBC shared unverified Iranian propaganda with their viewers on American casualties in the midst of Iran firing more than a dozen missiles at two Iraqi military bases at Al-Assad and Irbil, which host U.S. military and coalition personnel.
Joining MSNBC host Chris Matthews, NBC News’ Tehran bureau chief and correspondent Ali Arouzi said 30 Americans were killed in the missile strikes, citing Iranian state media.
“Iran state media is claiming that 30 U.S. soldiers have been killed in this attack,” Arouzi told MSNBC viewers in the midst of the attacks.
“This is not confirmed, this is just coming from Iranian media, but we have just stepped over the precipice, Chris. We have entered a very unpredictable time,” the reporter said. “We have to see what the response is going to be from the United States, but this is undoubtedly the most serious moment between Iran and America in the last 40 years. It’s very, very tense here.”
“We’re just getting reports here that Iran has deployed its entire air force,” Arouzi continued. “They are saying that if they are retaliated against (for) these attacks, they will launch attacks against the Emirates and Dubai.”
MSNBC was quickly hit with backlash from politicos for sharing the unverified Iranian propaganda with their viewers. (Currently, the Pentagon has said there are zero casualties from the Iranian strikes.)
“MSNBC just touted from their NBC News Tehran bureau chief a totally unverified claim from Iranian State TV about a death toll of U.S. soldiers,” said NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck. “Totally irresponsible.”
MSNBC just touted from their NBC News Tehran bureau chief a totally unverified claim from Iranian State TV about a death toll of U.S. soldiers.
Totally irresponsible.
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 8, 2020
“Sharing totally random supposed casualty figures is not only bad in terms of spreading misinformation,” commented popular political Twitter account @Neontaster. “Think of the relatives of soldiers stationed there reading tweets about dozens of deaths. Are their hours of terror now worth your Twitter engagement?”
Sharing totally random supposed casualty figures is not only bad in terms of spreading misinformation. Think of the relatives of soldiers stationed there reading tweets about dozens of deaths. Are their hours of terror now worth your Twitter engagement?
— neontaster (@neontaster) January 8, 2020
“MSNBC is literally doing the work of the Iranians by airing completely unverified, untrustworthy Intel about US casualties,” said TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk. “The Pentagon has not reported on any lives lost. Why would the Media air what is so blatantly Iranian propaganda? Absolutely disgusting reporting.”
MSNBC is literally doing the work of the Iranians by airing completely unverified, untrustworthy Intel about US casualties
The Pentagon has not reported on any lives lost
Why would the Media air what is so blatantly Iranian propaganda?
Absolutely disgusting reporting pic.twitter.com/UvzBwWF2cX
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 8, 2020
“MSNBC brought us far closer to the brink of war with this stunt than anything President Trump has done,” Human Events Editor-in-Chief Will Chamberlain posted.
MSNBC brought us far closer to the brink of war with this stunt than anything President Trump has done https://t.co/0A1kZTmhRd
— Will Chamberlain 🇺🇸 (@willchamberlain) January 8, 2020
“MSNBC helped Iran push the false claim that 30 U.S. soldiers were killed tonight in their attack,” conservative Jason Howerton wrote. “Zero were killed. This isn’t just fake news, this is so damn disrespectful to the family members of those deployed. Do better or delete your network.”
MSNBC helped Iran push the false claim that 30 U.S. soldiers were killed tonight in their attack. Zero were killed.
This isn't just fake news, this is so damn disrespectful to the family members of those deployed.
Do better or delete your network.pic.twitter.com/2l9KzsNPc5
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) January 8, 2020
Donald Trump Jr. posted: “They sound like they were actually hoping for that outcome. I guess they too were really upset about their loss this weekend too.”
They sound like they were actually hoping for that outcome. I guess they too were really upset about their loss this weekend too. https://t.co/AcdJjwQUvk
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 8, 2020
The Iranian ballistic missile strikes come in the wake of a Trump-ordered kill of terrorist and Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. As noted by The Daily Wire on Wednesday morning, “American officials say there were no reported casualties and the damage to the bases was minimal. Now Iran’s foreign minister is signaling that the country hopes for de-escalation, though Iran’s supreme leader is sending another message: the missile strikes are ‘not enough.'”
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