A video about what to do
Reporting current as of November 3, 2026, 3:45 a.m. Central.
A video circulating online shows a dramatized nuclear explosion followed by instructions for civilians on sheltering and reducing exposure to fallout. Several outlets report that Iranian state television and news agencies distributed the civil-defense message.
Hilal Times described the roughly two-and-a-half-minute clip as a safety guide for a hypothetical attack, while Sabq reported that the video was circulating online and said it had reportedly been broadcast by Iranian television. Newstro has not independently located the original broadcast or verified when it first aired.
The footage is a dramatized instructional scenario. It is not evidence that a nuclear explosion has occurred, that a strike is imminent, or that Iran has announced an intention to use a nuclear weapon.
What the instructions say
The video’s reported guidance tells people not to look at the flash; if they cannot immediately reach a building, it says to take cover and protect their heads. After the blast wave passes, the instructions call for moving indoors, preferably to a basement or interior area away from windows, Hilal Times reported.
It also describes closing doors and windows, turning off ventilation that draws in outside air, carefully removing outer clothing, and washing exposed skin. The guidance calls for preparing to shelter for at least 24 hours, listening for official instructions and avoiding an assumption that conditions are automatically safe when that period ends.
The International Commission on Radiological Protection offers similar general advice on getting inside, sheltering, decontamination and monitoring official updates. In a real emergency, follow local authorities: the safe response depends on conditions, and an unsafe building may require moving to safer shelter.
Why it is drawing attention
The video is circulating amid renewed U.S.-Iran tensions. A U.S. official told The Associated Press that American forces had conducted defensive strikes on Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz; Iranian state television reported explosions on Qeshm Island. Newstro has reported separately on the strike claims.
Public preparedness guidance can be issued for a possible danger without revealing a decision or a timetable for an attack. The clip itself does not establish why it was produced or aired.
Posts sharing the video
On November 2, the Arabic-language account @Axios_ar posted the clip with a summary of the instructions and attributed it to Iranian state television and news agencies. A later post by Mario Nawfal also shared the video and described the broadcast as reported. The posts are evidence of circulation; they do not independently establish the original broadcast date.
Open the post directly if the embed does not load. The account’s affiliation with the U.S. publication Axios has not been established.
