Iran's Digital Offensive: How Tehran Wages Information War on Global Social Media While Its Citizens Face Internet Blackout
While much of Iran has been plunged into a digital darkness lasting over five weeks, the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic and propaganda machinery is operating at full throttle on the global stage. From embassies in Zimbabwe to the United Kingdom, Iranian officials are leveraging social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to shape international perceptions of the ongoing conflict, employing satire, historical references, and sharp rhetoric.
This coordinated online push stands in stark contrast to the domestic reality. According to internet monitor NetBlocks, a near-total "internet blackout" has persisted since late February, severing most ordinary Iranians from the worldwide web. They are limited to a state-controlled intranet for basic services, while a select group of officials and state-backed media retain unfettered access to banned platforms—a duality that has drawn sharp criticism from digital rights advocates.
The campaign is notably polished and tailored for foreign consumption. In response to a recent, profanity-laced threat from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Iran’s embassy in Zimbabwe posted a dry, meme-ready retort: "We've lost the keys." The embassy in Thailand, referencing Trump’s past vow to send Iran "back to the Stone Age," shot back: "Judging by how POTUS swears like a teenager, it seems the US has reached the Stone Age sooner than expected."
Satire has become a weapon of choice. A group calling itself Explosive Media, an Iranian "Lego-style animation team," released a video depicting a bandage-handed Lego Trump fuming over a failed military operation—a narrative directly contradicting Washington’s account of a successful mission. Meanwhile, state-linked news agencies frame U.S. actions through the lens of historical failures, such as the doomed 1980 "Operation Eagle Claw" in Tabas.
Perhaps the most surreal element is the continued, active social media presence of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the onset of the war. His official X and Telegram accounts post daily, often sharing quotes from decades-old speeches. For Easter, a message drawn from a 1995 comment was shared, stating: "Following Jesus Christ... necessarily entails supporting the truth and renouncing anti-truth powers."
Domestically, the mantle has passed to his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, who maintains influential channels but has yet to be seen publicly or provide new imagery, relying instead on text statements. On the front lines of the digital rhetoric, figures like Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf—seen by some analysts as the de facto leader—post defiant messages. "You come for our home... you're gonna meet the whole family. Locked loaded and standing tall. Bring it on," he wrote in early April, echoing his background as a former Revolutionary Guards commander.
The strategy reveals a regime adept at information warfare, projecting strength and narrative control externally even as it imposes severe digital isolation on its own population. The goal is clear: to win the battle for global public opinion, one tweet, one Lego video, one historical analogy at a time.
Reactions & Analysis
Dr. Anya Petrova, Cybersecurity Fellow at the Atlantic Council: "This isn't amateur trolling; it's a calculated state-level influence operation. Iran is exploiting the open nature of Western social media to disseminate its worldview while completely insulating its domestic audience from counter-narratives. The asymmetry is the entire point."
Marcus Lee, Former Foreign Service Officer: "The use of humor and pop culture references, like Lego, is designed to make the messaging more relatable and shareable for international audiences. It’s a savvy, if cynical, attempt to soften the regime’s image and frame the conflict on its terms."
Sarah Chen, Digital Rights Activist: "It's grotesque hypocrisy. They're using platforms they've banned for their own people to spread propaganda. The 'whitelisted' elite tweet about freedom of expression while ordinary Iranians can't even check a global news site. This double standard lays bare the regime's fear of its own citizens."
David Fischer, Retired Military Analyst: "The maintained online presence of the deceased Supreme Leader is a fascinating case of digital legacy management. It creates a sense of continuity and immortalizes his ideology, which is crucial for regime stability during a turbulent succession."