PURE GOLD: Trifecta of Community Notes Takes Down Iran's Supreme Leader

We've seen that Community Notes has come for a lot of people.

It's added a great way of fact-checking when people, even those in power, spread nonsense, and now they have to fear that they will be called out in real-time on their lies. It doesn't get everyone or everything, but it has been a contribution to the greater truth.

The feature has even nailed leaders and people like Joe Biden. For example, Biden has gotten nailed for multiple things, including the "bottomless Pinocchio lie" that he tells about reducing the deficit.

Despite that, he keeps on telling it. But at least that clarifies the truth for people.

As we reported, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash last month.

He was not a pleasant guy.

Raisi was sometimes notably referred to as the “Butcher of Tehran,” as activists accused him of being one of the four judges who oversaw the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 after the Iran-Iraq war. Iran has never acknowledged what has been described as a massacre of an estimated 2,800 to 5,000 people, according to Human Rights Watch.
“As deputy prosecutor general of Tehran,” the U.S. Treasury Department said in a 2019 sanctions announcement, “Raisi participated in a so-called ‘death commission’ that ordered the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.”

But you wouldn't know that if you listened to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, who took to X to praise Raisi this week and spew absolute bilge about a wonderful person this "Butcher" was. Community Notes wasn't letting him get away with it.

President Raisi's method of management was a special method. He was sincere with his colleagues, the Ministers, & the managers in the govt. He treated people with respect and dignity. He allowed people and the youth to give their opinions on matters. He always respected people.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 4, 2024

Khamenei claimed Raisi had a "special method," that he was sincere and treated people with "respect and dignity" and allowed people to give their opinions. He always respected people.

Now that would be pretty hilarious if it wasn't such a lie. It's like "Opposite Day" -- just say everything he wasn't. "Special method?" Yeah, it's called killing people, as the Community Note explained.

President Raisi killed thousands of Iranians with opposing viewpoints via extra-judicial killings. Raisi was known as "The Butcher of Tehran"

Khamenei tried again.

President Raisi treated people who had harmed him with dignity. His response to people who had even insulted him was never harsh, ugly, or bad-tempered.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 4, 2024

"President Raisi treated people who had harmed him with dignity. His response to people who had even insulted him was never harsh, ugly, or bad-tempered," Khamenei claimed.

Community Notes repeated that Raisi "killed thousands via extra-judicial killings."

But they saved the note with the dryest humor for the last.

President Raisi was clear in keeping a distance from the enemies. He never trusted the enemy's smile.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 4, 2024

"President Raisi was clear in keeping a distance from the enemies. He never trusted the enemy's smile," Khamenei stated.

Community Notes just leveled him.

"The Butcher of Tehran" Raisi put to death those he viewed as opposition and was accused of crimes against humanity. He is also responsible for helping fund the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas. This is hardly the sign of a non-confrontational person."

Now, that's funny.

Let's finish the Supreme Leader off with an assist from our Brad Slager.