(Image Source: BFM TV)

BY EMOKE BEBIAK

ANCHOR AUSTIN KIM

You're watching multisource world video news analysis from Newsy.

Was it a hoax? That’s what many are wondering after a woman claiming to be Syria’s ambassador to France announced this during a phone interview with France 24:

“I have informed the president’s private secretary that it is my intention to tender my resignation to President Bashar al-Assad.”

But shortly after that “announcement”, ambassador Lamia Shakkour appeared on national Syrian and French television saying-- she’s not resigning- and France 24 is to blame for the misinformation.

CNN reports-- standing in front of a painting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad- Shakkour talked to French BFM TV.

“It's the poisoning of information, misuse of identity and fabricating facts of which I was a victim. And it’s part of a campaign of misinformation by France 24 since the beginning of March, in which it gives voice only to dissidents of Syria and it falsifies videos.”

Shakkour says she will sue France 24 and donate the money to the families of victims killed in the ongoing violence.

But France 24 stands by its reporting-- and says it followed typical procedures to verify the ambassador’s identity and set up the interview.

“We called the Syrian embassy, we have since confirmed that the number we called yesterday is indeed the Syrian embassy’s number, we entered into a series of phone calls and conversations and emails with a representative from the press office in the Syrian embassy.”

With Shakkour blaming France 24, and France 24 claiming it was duped-- The Christian Science Monitor wonders--- who-dun-it?

“Immediate speculation centered on whether the France 24 caller was an impostor, or whether Shakkur had been threatened or changed her mind. But images of her in her office this morning have doused much of the speculation and have centered questions on possible dissent within the embassy.”

Finally-- The Guardian looks at the big picture- and explains the incident comes in the wake of a growing tension between France and Syria...

“France has been a traditional ally of Syria and friend to Assad. However, since the popular democratic movements of the Arab spring spread, Paris has withdrawn support for Damascus. At the G8 summit … a fortnight ago, France's president, Nicolas Sarkozy, called on Assad to stop the killings or leave power.”

According to BBC News, France 24 says it will press charges against “any persons or government agencies responsible if it was a hoax.”

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Transcript by Newsy.