Fact Check: Iran's first indigenous nuclear submarine? This clip is from Japan

As tensions between Iran and US-allied West Asian countries continue, a video of a submarine getting launched into the water has gone viral on social media. Allegedly, this video was of Iran unveiling its first domestically manufactured nuclear-powered submarine.Images of the launch were also widely shared with the same claim. India Today Fact Check found that the video is from October 2023 and shows Japan unveiling a submarine.OUR PROBEWe found no credible news reports about Iran unveiling a nuclear-powered submarine. A reverse-image search of frames from the video led us to an Instagram post featuring the same clip. Its caption identified the vessel as JS Raigei, a Taigei-class attack submarine built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. We then found an extended version of the clip on the YouTube channel Military Coverage, shared on October 17, 2023. According to the video's description, the submarine was built by Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, for $470 million. According to a Naval News report, the submarine was officially commissioned into the JMSDF on March 6, 2025, at a ceremony held at KHI's Kobe Shipyard. Following its commissioning, it was assigned to Submarine Division 1 of Submarine Flotilla 1 at the Kure naval base in Hiroshima Prefecture.Therefore, it is more than evident that an old video from Japan has been falsely shared as visuals of Iran’s first nuclear-capable submarine.- EndsPublished By: Pathikrit SanyalPublished On: Aug 18, 2026 20:36 IST