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A wave of disinformation has swept Albanian-speaking media outlets, spreading unverified claims of a possible Iranian attack on the MEK camp in Manzë. Although claims of an “imminent strike” were widely circulated, verifications revealed a total lack of official sources supporting these war scenarios.
The US-Israeli military operation in Iran was followed in the Albanian-speaking media by a wave of reports that Iran is planning a military strike against the Iranian Mujahedin (MEK) camp in Manzë, Durrës.
Through headlines such as, "Iran threatens Albania, aims to strike MEK", dozens of articles have been massively distributed online, vaguely referring to and citing "foreign media" as sources of information.
There are dozens of articles, videos, and posts from Albania to Kosovo, including the media, warning of war scenarios on Albanian territory, inciting an inevitable state of panic among the public, as well as raising questions about the veracity of these claims.
The provocative articles included headlines such as, “Foreign Media: Iran May Attack Mujahedin Base in Albania” and “Foreign Media: Iran May Attack Mujahedin Base in Albania.”
Armin Khameh, a media and communications expert who fled Iran to London to escape the regime of Ali Khamenei, told Media Amfora that these claims have no basis in reality. According to him, there is no credible or independently verified report that proves that Iran is planning an attack on the MEK base in Albania.
"So far, the claims circulating in the Albanian media appear to be based mainly on secondary sources or politically-oriented media, rather than on consolidated international reporting or official statements," he explained.
This claim, which spread rapidly in Albanian-speaking media and social networks, originated with “Caliber”, an information platform in Azerbaijan. This media outlet is not considered a reliable source of information, as it often serves as a channel for reflecting the official perspective of the Azerbaijani government, leaving room for doubts about its objectivity.
However, this news was taken for granted and went viral through the "copy-paste" method, being published in dozens of online media without any prior verification.
What is striking in all these articles is the complete lack of reliable sources. They make do with vague references to "foreign media" or anonymous Telegram channels previously known to be under the management of Iranian hackers, bypassing official reports from security institutions or the credible international press.
"In strategic terms, the MEK does not rank among the Iranian government's top security priorities. From Tehran's perspective, such actors can be monitored and controlled, without engaging in a dangerous escalation abroad," argued Armin Khameh, a media and communications expert.
The same position is shared by Ervin Karamuço, a criminal expert, who places this wave of disinformation in the framework of a broader strategy of Tehran. According to him, intelligence institutions and the anti-terror structures of the State Police have already proven the existence of cells and individuals in Albania, who have been paid for years by Iranian services to sow panic and terror through disinformation.
"This is part of a hybrid war that has been going on for a long time," Karamuço explained, adding that thanks to cooperation with international and American partners, the active activities of these groups have been prevented.
According to the expert, the latest reports have the same background, "An anonymous media, an anonymous portal in Azerbaijan that publishes such news, hypothetical, but initially this news was conveyed to the media by other people, who continuously do the same job."
Analyzing the current situation, communications expert Armin Khameh underlined that there is currently no solid evidence to substantiate a threat like the one being portrayed in the media. He added, “These claims should be treated with caution until confirmed by official sources or credible international reporting, as they do not match publicly available information.”
Expert Ervin Karamuço explained that although theoretically a strike is conceivable, its implementation is within technical limits. He emphasized that a drone attack is almost impossible, as the aircraft would be immediately intercepted by the US 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean or by Turkey's powerful defense systems.
"The problem is with supersonic missiles, which are up to 2500 km away and can hit targets, but our distance is somewhere around 2500-3000 km, so I'm saying that we are at the limits. The problem is that according to these latest reports, some of these missiles were not launched from Iran, where we have distance limits, but were launched from Lebanon. And recently, even Israel itself has understood this, which today has introduced ground troops to destroy once and for all any Hezbollah group that possesses these missiles," Karamuço explained.
The “People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran” (MEK) is an Iranian opposition organization that has been based in Albania since 2013, following a humanitarian agreement for the relocation of its members from Iraq. Its members live in a camp in the Manza area, near Durrës, and are considered opponents of the Iranian government, acting politically against the current regime in Tehran.
Going beyond the technical side, expert Karamuço argued that Iran has never had Albania as a military target, as the MEK opposition is currently not considered a primary political threat to the Tehran regime. According to him, the alarming statements are simply “fake news”, as Iran’s real military targets remain the American and Gulf bases. He further emphasized that the Albanian state structures remain on full alert and in constant coordination with allies.
"I know that the President has held meetings with defense chiefs and we have contacted NATO countries, especially Turkey. Vigilance is part of our alliance, where the US and Turkey have the most of this security ring in our region."
To date, Iran has been accused of several cyberattacks on Albanian institutions, when in 2022 the Albanian government declared that the Islamic Republic of Iran was responsible for a major cyberattack that hit state online services, including the e-Albania portal. As a result, Albania severed diplomatic relations with Iran and expelled its diplomats from Tirana.
For communications expert Armin Khameh, the Iranian government's top priority remains preventing popular uprisings within the country. According to him, internal stability and security in border regions, such as the Kurdish and Baluchi ones, have absolute priority over confronting opposition groups in Europe.
Khameh added that although Iran has shown willingness to carry out operations against dissidents abroad, an open attack on Albanian territory is unfeasible.
"A direct attack on Albania would have enormous diplomatic and strategic costs, including direct confrontation with a NATO member state. Such an action would be a major escalation that does not fit with Iran's usual cost-benefit calculations, except in the case of a completely unexpected development," Khameh argued.
Under these circumstances, the claims spread by dozens of online media outlets about a possible Iranian attack on Albania turn out to be an unfounded alarm and the product of recycled disinformation./ Amfora
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