Transcript [00:00] So, what is going on in Iran? What's [00:02] going on domestically? Today, we're [00:04] going to look at a few revealing [00:07] articles from Iranian [00:09] from Iranian regime media. [00:11] Uh and we're going to read them the way [00:14] they deserve to be read. They are [00:16] Iranian regime media. And this is uh [00:18] something that we do on this channel. We [00:20] take a look at the propaganda. And if [00:22] you're wondering, if you're new to this [00:24] and you're wondering, why are you [00:25] reading this propaganda? It's just [00:26] propaganda. [00:28] Let me explain. It is much more [00:30] revealing to read state propaganda, to [00:32] read state media, because you see the [00:35] messaging, you see what they're trying [00:36] to do. And if you read it critically, [00:39] you can understand what's actually going [00:42] on. It's actually more revealing than [00:45] media coming out of a country where [00:46] there's free media, which doesn't [00:47] reflect anything about the government [00:49] necessarily. [00:50] So, we're going to take a look at these [00:51] four pieces. I'm not going to read them [00:52] all in their entirety. Uh the first one [00:55] it is is too long and it's also full of [00:58] gobbledygook, and I will lose you as an [01:01] audience if I read it entirely. It's [01:02] called Pro Internet in Iran, a temporary [01:06] solution or digital segregation. And [01:08] this is a very strange piece. When I [01:10] first saw it and read it through, I [01:12] couldn't [01:13] At first, I was stunned. Like, why did [01:14] they even run this? Because it's all [01:16] about the internet blackout and how some [01:18] people have internet and some people [01:19] don't [01:21] and all the problems it's causing. And [01:23] it seems like uh it seemed almost like [01:26] it was too critical of the regime. And [01:28] again, this is state media. And I [01:30] couldn't figure out why they read it. [01:31] But then I the more I thought about it, [01:33] the more and and and read it carefully, [01:36] I think I figured out what they're [01:36] doing. So, [01:38] in this article, [01:40] it it it's from it's dated April 29th. [01:43] Pro Internet in Iran. [01:46] What's Pro Internet? So, Pro Internet is [01:47] this internet service that the [01:49] government is offering for businesses. [01:51] But [01:53] let's let's set the context here. [01:56] Iran's internet has been roughly at 2% [01:59] of normal capacity for nearly 2 months. [02:02] The regime shut it down. [02:03] Not because of a technical problem, but [02:05] because they were killing people in the [02:06] streets and didn't want footage getting [02:08] out. Okay, we've covered this [02:10] extensively. [02:11] So, now after a ceasefire, the [02:13] internet's still not restored. [02:15] Why? [02:17] Right? Why Like, what's the what's the [02:19] excuse now? So, WANA needs to explain [02:22] it. So, here's how they do it. So, let's [02:24] let's take a look at the opening just [02:26] the opening paragraph here. [02:28] Opening paragraph says, "In the past 2 [02:30] months, [02:31] Iran has faced unprecedented digital [02:34] blackout. [02:35] NetBlocks reported that access to [02:37] international internet is only around 2% [02:41] with the entire country [02:43] having been under internet restrictions [02:46] for [02:48] 2 months. [02:49] Okay? [02:51] And [02:54] and they're and they're talking about [02:55] like the you know this you know this is [02:56] such a such a crisis. The prolonged [02:58] outage has not only disrupted the daily [03:00] lives of users, [03:02] but has impacted the the the country's [03:04] digital economy. It's talking about how [03:06] much money has been lost. [03:08] And and look what it says here. [03:10] "Government officials and domestic [03:11] analysts generally attribute [03:14] the reduction in internet in [03:16] international internet access to a [03:17] combination of security, political, and [03:21] technical factors." [03:24] Okay, we Yeah, we know that. But what [03:26] are you telling us? [03:29] So, there's no mention of of why it was [03:32] shut down. [03:33] It just says security issues. [03:35] It's crisis management. And here's where [03:37] it gets interesting. The article [03:38] introduces this thing called Pro [03:40] Internet, which is a tiered access [03:42] system to the regime or that the regime [03:45] created for selected users. [03:48] So, there's a there's a section here [03:51] called group authentication. Let me find [03:53] it. [03:54] Cuz again, it's it's way too long and [03:56] convoluted for you. Here we go. So, down [03:58] here, it talks about Pro Internet. [04:01] And it says, "Group authentication. [04:03] Access to the service requires approval [04:06] from a professional organization, a [04:09] professional card, which is I guess some [04:11] sort of license to be part of some sort [04:13] of guild or professional uh [04:16] um [04:17] credentials, or an organizational [04:20] recommendation." [04:22] Hmm. [04:24] Think about what that means. The regime [04:25] knows exactly who has it. It can monitor [04:28] everything they do with it. It has [04:30] leverage over over them through their [04:31] professional affiliations. [04:34] So, this article is presenting this Pro [04:36] Internet as the solution. It's it's [04:38] signaling to Iranians, "Hey, if you need [04:40] internet, this is the way you get it." [04:43] In reality, it's an advertisement for a [04:47] for a new surveillance system. If you [04:49] want to sign up, just walk right in. And [04:51] the piece ends with calls for {quote} [04:53] genuine decision-making and transparency [04:56] from a regime that created the problem. [04:58] Like, what Here [04:59] you got to see this. It's the last [05:00] paragraph of the piece, which is always [05:02] revealing. [05:03] Take a look at this. "Pro Internet, [05:07] in addition to its challenges, has [05:08] served as a temporary tool to maintain [05:10] business operations and communications [05:12] for professionals. However, the future [05:15] of the internet in Iran requires genuine [05:17] decision-making, transparency, [05:20] and a balanced approach to managing [05:21] security and public access." [05:25] Okay. [05:27] Look, this is what we call [05:30] a limited hang out. So, this this this [05:33] is an expression. If you haven't heard [05:34] the phrase before, [05:35] a limited hang out is where [05:38] is where uh [05:40] something is looks like transparency [05:42] because [05:44] there's an admission to some information [05:48] because publicly people know it anyway. [05:52] So, by the government admitting [05:55] or an intelligence agency will do this [05:57] sometimes. They'll admit to a piece of a [05:59] story that's controversial [06:02] that everyone pretty much knows anyway. [06:05] But by admitting to a piece of the [06:06] story, it sounds like they're being [06:07] honest and transparent. And the goal is [06:10] really to conceal [06:13] more than more than is revealed. It's [06:15] That's what's called a limited hang out. [06:16] Okay, you you hang out a piece a piece [06:19] of the story. It's red meat for people. [06:21] Everyone thinks that they're getting [06:22] information and they're getting [06:23] transparency. [06:25] So, here, everyone knows the whole world [06:26] knows that there's an internet blackout [06:28] in Iran. And everyone knows that the [06:29] government did it. And everyone knows [06:31] that the government did it because they [06:32] didn't want information getting out for [06:34] security reasons. So, by writing an [06:35] article about, "Yes, there there [06:37] security issues. And yes, you know, this [06:39] had to happen. And it's and it's [06:40] unfortunate. And and and and now some [06:42] people have internet and some people [06:43] don't. And and but but at the same time, [06:47] they're they're kind of covering it [06:50] they're covering for the fact that [06:53] they have no good reason [06:55] why the internet is still off. So, [06:57] that's article number one that I wanted [06:59] to share with you. We're going to put [07:00] all these articles together and then [07:01] we'll really get a a better picture of [07:02] what's going on there. This one's also [07:04] really interesting. This is from a [07:05] couple days ago. [07:07] Iran's medicine supply holds under war [07:10] pressure. [07:11] "Despite more than 40 days of intense [07:13] conflict between Iran and US-Israeli [07:15] forces, alongside a naval blockade and [07:18] disruptions of the Strait of Hormuz, [07:19] Iran has so far avoided widespread [07:22] shortages of essential medicines and [07:23] basic goods." They've avoided them. Now, [07:25] this article gets quite comical quite [07:27] quickly. "Contrary to expectations of an [07:29] immediate supply crisis, pharmacies and [07:31] hospitals across the country continue to [07:33] operate with relative stability. Shelves [07:36] remain stocked with most medications, [07:38] and patients are still able to access [07:40] routine treatments. [07:41] At the ground level, pharmacy operators [07:44] say the supply chain has remained [07:45] largely intact throughout the conflict. [07:47] {quote} The drug supply chain during the [07:49] war, even from the very first day that [07:51] these explosions happened until we [07:53] reached a ceasefire, there was no [07:55] disruption." [07:56] Said Azadeh Salem, a pharmaceutical [07:59] doctor and director of a pharmacy in [08:00] Tehran, to WANA reporters. "Every drug [08:03] we ordered was delivered on time, and I [08:05] really think this deserves appreciation. [08:09] >> [laughter] [08:09] >> This resilience [08:11] is partly rooted in preparations made [08:12] during previous crises. According to [08:14] Salem, authorities had already increased [08:17] strategic drug reserves, helping prevent [08:20] shortages in most categories. [08:23] {quote} I think that from the previous [08:25] war, a plan was made for the country's [08:27] drug reserves, and they had increased [08:29] that reserve," she said. "As a result, [08:31] we didn't have problems [clears throat] [08:32] with the majority of drugs. However, the [08:34] system has not been entirely immune." [08:36] Salem pointed to vulnerabilities in [08:38] imported medicines, particularly those [08:40] dependent on international financial [08:42] channels. "The reality is that there's a [08:45] shortage of certain drugs, especially [08:47] chemotherapy drugs and imported ones," [08:50] she noted. "The chain related to [08:52] currency transfer and other matters was [08:55] disrupted. While domestically produced [08:57] medicines have remained stable, concerns [08:59] are beginning to shift toward the [09:00] sustainability of supply, particularly [09:03] for materials linked to to petrochemical [09:06] production." [09:08] {quote} Our next major concern is [09:09] petrochemical products like syringes and [09:11] IV sets," Salem said. "We are now [09:13] concerned about how long the country's [09:15] reserves will meet the needs." [09:18] Hospitals, meanwhile, report that [09:19] operations have continued at full [09:21] capacity despite population shifts and [09:24] wartime conditions. In her interview [09:26] with WANA, Miss Miss Karim Pour, a [09:28] supervisor at Ibn Sina Hospital, said, [09:31] "Despite the fact that they said half [09:34] the people left Tehran, [09:36] hmm [09:39] all our departments were active," she [09:41] continued. "Our ICUs were full. [09:44] And in terms of drugs and equipment, [09:46] nothing has happened yet. We had [09:48] everything." [09:50] She added that the hospital has [09:51] maintained its standard practice of [09:52] directly supplying patients with [09:54] medications, reducing pressure on [09:56] external pharmacies. Quote, "We prepared [09:58] discharge prescriptions and give [10:00] patients a week's worth of medication [10:01] ourselves." She said, "Even some special [10:04] and rare drugs, we never send patients [10:06] out to find them. It hasn't changed [10:07] during the war." I mean, this whole [10:09] article is everything's fine. [10:11] Everything's fine. The medical system is [10:12] working just great. [10:14] For patients, the experience has so far [10:16] reflected this relative stability. [10:17] Quote, "No, we had no shortage, thank [10:19] God." said one pharmacy client. [10:23] Miss Akbarzadeh [clears throat] [10:24] Akbarzadeh [10:26] "I went for dental and pediatric care. [10:28] There was no shortage of medicine." [10:30] Iran's ability to maintain supply under [10:32] pressure highlights a broader paradox. [10:34] Years of economic sanctions and external [10:36] constraints have forced the country to [10:38] develop domestic production and [10:40] alternative trade routes, particularly [10:42] through its extensive land borders. [10:45] These adaptations, along with tighter [10:46] government control over disruption and [10:49] pre-existing stockpiles, appear to have [10:51] cushioned the immediate impact of the [10:53] current conflict. For now, the system is [10:55] holding. But, with ongoing uncertainty [10:57] around imports and critical materials, [10:59] health officials and providers remain [11:01] cautious about how long this stability [11:04] can last. [11:06] Okay. [11:07] So, the headline says supply is holding. [11:10] Then, inside the article, we learn that [11:11] chemotherapy drugs are in shortage. [11:13] Syringes and IV sets are the next major [11:15] concern. The ICUs were packed. And this [11:19] was the buried lead of the whole [11:20] article. Half of Tehran evacuated? The [11:23] largest city in Iran by far? Half of [11:26] Tehran has left Tehran? [11:29] What? [11:31] But, don't worry. Everything's fine. [11:32] Because here's Miss Akbarzadeh, a [11:35] pharmacy customer, to set the record [11:37] straight. She went in for dental and [11:39] pediatric care and everything was fine. [11:41] So, there you go. Chemo patients are on [11:42] their own, but if you need something for [11:44] a tooth, Iran's supply chain is [11:46] apparently world-class. [11:48] It's the same structure as the first [11:49] article about the internet. Lead with [11:51] reassurance. [11:53] Bury the admissions in the middle of the [11:55] article in the voice of experts. And end [11:57] with this kind of vague optimism. That's [12:00] the structure of these pieces. That's [12:01] how they write them. [12:03] They open [12:04] They open with the reassurance cuz a lot [12:06] of people don't read full articles. They [12:08] read just the opening couple paragraphs. [12:10] And that's what the And that's the [12:11] framing. That's the tone they want to [12:12] set in the article. But, they they they [12:14] they need the limited [12:16] Excuse me, the limited hangout, the the [12:18] little reassurance in there. Um I'm [12:21] sorry, the admission the admission of of [12:24] what's actually wrong to give it some [12:26] credibility has to be in there in the [12:28] article. So, they put that in the middle [12:29] and then they end with something more [12:31] optimistic. [12:32] Um [12:33] You know, the real news is technically [12:35] in there. They just hope you stop [12:36] reading after uh [12:39] after the beginning. Okay, let's go to [12:40] the third piece. [12:43] And the third piece [12:46] is nationwide Janfada rally in Iran. [12:50] This is from April 29th. Nationwide [12:53] Janfada rally in Iran focused on [12:55] renewing allegiance [12:57] to the country's leader. Hmm. On [13:00] Wednesday, April 29th, the streets of [13:02] Iran's capital witnessed an unusually [13:04] large and widespread presence. Crowds in [13:06] Tehran, alongside people in other cities [13:08] across the country, took part in a [13:10] nationwide march described as a symbol [13:13] of renewed allegiance to Iran's third [13:15] leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba [13:17] Khamenei. [13:20] That's the guy who hasn't appeared in [13:21] public ever since he was appointed. [13:23] And a demonstration of support for the [13:25] Janfada, the devoted lives campaign. In [13:28] Tehran, the route from Imam Hussein [13:30] Square to Azadi Square was filled with [13:33] massive waves of participants. Iranian [13:35] flags were raised high and chants echoed [13:38] through the city streets. Families, [13:39] alongside young people and teenagers, [13:41] moved together in an atmosphere marked [13:43] by collective singing, public programs, [13:46] and a sense of unity. Along the route, [13:48] volunteer service stations provided [13:50] support, giving the event a feel of a [13:52] highly organized highly organized social [13:56] mobilization. This scene was not limited [13:58] to Tehran. Reports indicate that similar [14:01] marches were held simultaneously in [14:03] multiple cities across Iran, creating a [14:05] unified national picture of public [14:07] participation. Organizers described the [14:10] turnout as a response to recent regional [14:12] developments and a sign of domestic [14:15] cohesion. [14:16] Wow. [14:18] The Janfada campaign, highlighted during [14:20] the march, emerged following attacks by [14:21] the United States and Israel [14:24] and amid growing concerns about [14:25] potential escalation of the conflict. [14:27] The campaign aims to signal public [14:30] readiness to defend the country and has [14:32] quickly gained widespread traction. [14:34] According It's spreading like wildfire. [14:36] There's a grassroots movement of support [14:38] for the regime spreading across the [14:39] country. More than 30 million people [14:41] have registered. [14:43] The number is notable even in historical [14:46] context. [14:48] >> [laughter] [14:48] >> This paragraph is is just gold. [14:50] During the 8-year war in Iran During the [14:53] 8-year Iran-Iraq War, about 2 million [14:56] volunteers, roughly 5 to 6% of the [14:58] population at the time, joined the front [15:00] lines. In contrast, the registration of [15:03] over 30 million in the Janfada campaign [15:06] within just a few days represents [15:08] represents more than 30% of Iran's [15:11] current population of around 90 million. [15:13] A figure analysts view as indicative of [15:15] a different level of social mobilization [15:18] under present conditions. [15:20] 90 million people includes children, [15:22] infants, elderly. And they're saying [15:24] that 30 million Iranians signed up to [15:27] defend the [15:28] the state of [15:29] to defend Iran? It's so absurd. It's [15:31] hilarious. In this context in this [15:34] context, Sayyid Rahim Safavi, former [15:37] commander of the Islamic Revolutionary [15:39] Guard Corps, said in an interview with [15:40] IRNA, [15:42] "The message of the people is this. Mr. [15:45] Trump and Mr. Netanyahu, you cannot [15:47] confront Iran. Leave this region just as [15:50] you left Afghanistan and Iraq. The [15:52] Iranian people are stronger than the [15:53] people of Afghanistan and Iraq. And with [15:56] a civilization thousands of years old [15:58] under the new leadership of Ayatollah [15:59] Sayyid Mojtaba and with this structure [16:02] and military forces, they form a [16:03] powerful nation." [16:06] He added, "The message is to leave the [16:08] region. We and our neighbors will [16:09] establish security, development, and [16:11] sustainable progress here." In another [16:13] part of his remarks, Safavi said, "Trump [16:15] and Netanyahu are savage, rude, [16:17] uncultured, and dishonorable [16:19] individuals. If we want to name examples [16:21] of absolute evil in the world, not only [16:24] for Iran, but for humanity, they are [16:26] among them." [16:28] Among the crowd, personal accounts also [16:30] reflected motivations for participation. [16:33] Moha deshe Mohadeseh Sadat Moghadam, a [16:36] teacher, said in an interview with IRNA, [16:38] "In my opinion Look at this. [16:41] It's like it's like satire. In my [16:43] opinion, the figure of 30 million being [16:46] discussed is entirely accurate. Given [16:48] the number of people currently present, [16:51] the figure could be completely correct. [16:53] I myself am one of those 30 million who [16:55] participated." She added, "In my view, [16:58] the fact that he does not appear in [16:59] front of cameras, [17:01] given recent events, may be due to [17:03] security concerns and potential risks. [17:05] That is why he does not appear publicly. [17:08] But, through the messages that are [17:09] released, it's clear that they are [17:11] conveyed by him." [17:13] Are you getting this? The Tehran march [17:15] ultimately concluded with a large [17:17] gathering at Azadi Square, [17:20] where participants once again emphasized [17:22] their support for the leadership, the [17:24] preservation of national unity, and the [17:26] continuation of the country's political [17:29] path. Images transmitted from Tehran and [17:31] other cities depicted an event that went [17:33] beyond a typical urban gathering, [17:35] interpreted instead as a nationwide [17:37] display of solidarity and political [17:40] message from Iran to audiences beyond [17:43] its borders. [17:44] Okay. [17:46] A few things to notice here. First, the [17:47] numbers. They're claiming 30 million [17:48] registrations for Janfada. I pointed [17:50] that out in the middle there. And to [17:51] support the claim, they provide the [17:54] comparison themselves [17:57] to the to the Iran-Iraq War where 2 [17:59] million people [18:01] volunteered. [18:03] Okay? [18:04] Five to five or six percent of the [18:06] population. They're now claiming that [18:07] 30% of the entire population signed up [18:09] within days. And then this is my [18:11] favorite part. They bring in a [18:12] participant to vouch for the number. [18:15] A participant, a teacher. And she says [18:19] >> [laughter] [18:20] >> You can't make it up. She says this is [18:22] their corroboration of the 30 million [18:24] number. "In my opinion, the figure of 30 [18:26] million being discussed is entirely [18:28] accurate. Given the number of people [18:29] currently here, the figure could be [18:31] correct. I'm one of them." Right? So, [18:33] the evidence that 30 million people [18:34] registered is one woman who says that [18:37] she thinks it sounds right because [18:39] there's a lot of people at the rally. [18:42] And they basically fact-check their own [18:44] propaganda by pointing out how absurd [18:46] the 30 million number is by comparing it [18:48] to the 2 million of the Iran-Iraq War. [18:50] They made it meaning the implausibility [18:53] of the number is only emphasized by [18:54] that. [18:56] And then they produce a witness who says [18:57] it seems like uh [18:59] you know, who who whose testimony [19:02] says, "Wow, looks like a lot of people [19:03] are here." [19:05] Now, [19:06] I want to drill down a little further on [19:07] this on this on how idiotic this 30 [19:10] million number is. I mentioned this in [19:12] an earlier video. [19:13] Look at this story from 2023. [19:17] 50,000 mosques have closed in Iran. [19:19] Okay. Now, and this is Mohammad [19:22] Abolghasem Dulabi, a senior cleric for [19:25] Iranian President Raisi, who's now dead. [19:28] He was alive then. [19:29] He delivered a speech to a group of [19:31] religious students in which he stated [19:33] that 50,000 [19:35] of Iran's 70,000 mosques have closed [19:38] their doors. [19:40] Right? He indicated that Muslims were [19:42] deserting mosques. [19:44] People were not showing up to them. [19:46] Two-thirds of the mosques in Iran have [19:48] closed. Now, [19:50] the reason that's relevant here is that [19:54] you're trying to tell me that there's [19:56] such widespread support for the regime [20:00] that a third of the population [20:02] signed up for this [20:04] John Fada campaign [20:06] to defend the to defend the the nation [20:10] which is basically all the adults if you [20:13] figure it out numbers-wise, 90 million [20:15] population, children, elderly, right? [20:17] Basically everybody signed up for this [20:19] thing. [20:20] But meanwhile, everyone's been deserting [20:21] Islam for years. [20:24] Kind of it yeah, it's it's it's a little [20:25] crazy. [20:27] And then [20:28] and now the second citizen quote, and [20:30] this one is doing different work. We had [20:33] this teacher explaining why the supreme [20:35] leader is not appearing in public. [20:37] Right? [20:38] Because and this is what makes this [20:40] article so comical, it's this damage [20:42] control which only makes things worse. [20:45] Because everyone knows that it's that [20:47] like the guy's not appearing in public. [20:49] He hasn't appeared in public even once [20:51] and there's a ceasefire now. There's [20:53] there's a reportedly millions of people [20:54] in the streets. America's not bombing. [20:56] If he appeared in public, they wouldn't [20:58] bomb him. No one's bombing anyone right [20:59] now. [21:02] Right? [21:05] And he and and and the person says, "Oh, [21:07] he didn't appear in public. [21:10] Why would he vol- Why would someone [21:11] standing at a rally volunteer an opinion [21:13] about why the supreme leader hasn't [21:15] appeared in public?" The quote was [21:17] written written for I don't even know if [21:18] the person exists. [21:21] Because they have to address the this [21:23] this credibility issue that no one's [21:25] seen the guy in months. But think about [21:26] the concession embedded in the [21:28] explanation. They've just had a massive [21:30] loyalty rally claiming tens of millions [21:32] of supporters and the leader cannot [21:34] safely show his face [21:36] even though the entire country's unified [21:37] behind him. [21:40] Okay. And and then there's another this [21:43] makes the rally even more interesting. [21:45] This is the last article I'm going to [21:46] show you. [21:47] This is from Tasnim. This is the other [21:49] regime media outlet. This is the media [21:52] outlet of the IRGC. [21:54] Mass rally held in Tehran to mark birth [21:58] anniversary of Imam Reza. Now, wait a [22:00] second. [22:01] It says that this was held on Wednesday [22:04] the 29th. Isn't that the same as the [22:07] John Fada rally on Wednesday the 29th in [22:10] Tehran? But wait a second. It also [22:12] includes the route. [22:14] And the route of this is the same as the [22:16] route of that. It's the same rally, but [22:18] they're describing it completely [22:19] differently. Look at this. A large [22:21] public was held in Tehran on Wednesday [22:23] to mark the birth of Imam Reza. Imam [22:26] Reza lived in like the 8th century. With [22:28] participants voicing support for the [22:30] country [22:32] against foreign aggression and renewing [22:34] allegiance to the leader of the Islamic [22:35] Revolution Ayatollah Sayyid Mostafa [22:37] Khamenei. It's the same rally. But in [22:39] the previous piece we read, we didn't [22:40] read a word about it's a totally [22:42] different framing for the entire rally. [22:44] It was about John Fada. [22:47] Right? This is saying it's about Imam [22:49] Reza. The massive gathering of people [22:51] took place in the Iranian capital on [22:52] Wednesday [22:54] on Wednesday afternoon on the occasion [22:55] of the auspicious birth anniversary of [22:57] Imam Reza [23:00] the eighth Shiite Imam with strong [23:02] public participation. The ceremony has [23:04] been held along a [23:05] a route stretching from Imam Hussein [23:07] Square to Azadi Square. That's the same [23:09] route we read about in the previous [23:11] piece. [23:12] >> [snorts] [23:12] >> Similar events have been held [23:13] simultaneously across other cities. Same [23:15] same event. [23:16] Participants carrying Iranian flags and [23:18] images of martyred leaders of the [23:20] Islamic Revolution [23:22] Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Ali Khamenei [23:25] renewed their pledge to the ideals of [23:27] the late founder of the Islamic Republic [23:29] Imam Khomeini and the martyred leader. [23:33] Through written messages and slogans, [23:35] demonstrators also renewed their [23:37] allegiance to leader [23:39] of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah [23:40] Sayyid Mostafa Khamenei. The gathering, [23:42] which has been held in previous years [23:44] and has consistently drawn public [23:45] attention, took on a more epic and [23:47] symbolic tone this year following the [23:49] US-Israeli war of aggression [23:51] against Iran and the martyrdom of [23:53] Ayatollah Khamenei. [23:55] Okay. [23:56] Um [23:58] So what the heck is going on here? [24:00] What the heck is going on here? [24:03] Same rally, same route, same day, [24:06] completely different framing. WANA [24:08] called it a political loyalty [24:10] demonstration, the John Fada campaign. [24:12] Tasnim, the IRGC's new news agency, [24:15] calls it a religious celebration of Imam [24:16] Reza's birth. [24:19] Two narratives, [24:21] two different audiences. [24:23] So there's a dual messaging strategy [24:25] going on here. The Imam Reza angle [24:28] is also is theologically loaded in a way [24:30] that's worth talking about. Imam Reza [24:32] was a is a Shia archetype [24:35] of legitimate authority that is [24:37] suppressed and martyred by an [24:40] illegitimate power. Okay? He He was a [24:43] Shiite leader who never actually had [24:45] political control [24:46] because they were the Shiites were were [24:49] were being were being uh [24:51] um occupied [24:54] at the time. He was kept under house [24:56] arrest and he died under suspicious [24:59] circumstances. That's who Imam Reza was. [25:01] So invoking him, the eighth Imam, there [25:04] were 11 Imams, right? Invoking him at [25:07] this moment for this rally [25:09] while there's this invisible supreme [25:11] leader who hasn't showed up [25:14] and that they're supposed to be pledging [25:15] allegiance to [25:17] is not a random calendar coincidence. [25:20] Right? Tasnim is the IRGC's own media [25:22] outlet. It's the same agency [25:25] >> [cough] [25:26] [clears throat] [25:26] >> that recently slipped up and referred to [25:28] Mostafa Khamenei as the martyred leader [25:30] and then they walked it back and called [25:32] it an error. They never They never [25:34] published a a retraction. But in this [25:36] article, they're they're [25:38] they're connecting Mostafa to Imam Reza [25:41] because Imam Reza was also a leader who [25:44] was who was being being He was under [25:47] attack and he was under and he was being [25:50] uh silenced and he was [25:51] and he was uh [25:53] he was under house arrest, so he wasn't [25:55] seen. [25:56] Right? They're connecting [25:58] they're connecting him to Imam Reza. So [26:00] what are we actually looking at across [26:01] these four articles? Let me sum up this [26:02] video and we'll close it out. [26:05] Before I do that, just please make sure [26:06] that you're subscribed to this channel. [26:08] Make sure you're subscribed to Israel [26:09] 365 News. Go into the links that are in [26:12] the description of this video. Subscribe [26:13] to our newsletters [26:15] so that you're plugged in to everything [26:16] that we're doing. You cannot rely on [26:18] truth about Israel in the Middle East [26:20] coming to you organically. You have to [26:22] You have to be plugged in, signed up, [26:24] make sure that you're getting all the [26:25] truth. Okay. So what are we actually [26:27] looking at here? We saw four articles. [26:29] We're looking at a regime that is [26:31] engaged in [26:33] um multi-track information warfare, I'll [26:36] call it. And they're it's all aimed at a [26:38] single underlying problem. [26:40] They took a serious military defeat. [26:42] They lost their supreme leader. They [26:44] installed a replacement. [26:48] And the replacement has not been seen [26:49] publicly in months. [26:51] Possibly because he was severely injured [26:53] in the same strike that killed his [26:55] father, who knows? [26:56] And the ceasefire that was supposed to [26:59] signal stabilization [27:01] hasn't restored normalcy because the [27:03] regime still doesn't want its population [27:05] to have internet and communicate freely. [27:08] So each article's doing a different job. [27:10] The internet piece is a limited hangout [27:13] and a surveillance funnel trying to get [27:15] people to sign up for that government [27:17] pro-internet service. [27:19] The medicine piece is reassurance [27:21] theater, cover your butt theater with [27:25] the bad news buried in the middle cuz [27:27] unless you need chemo, in which case [27:29] you're out of luck. [27:31] But the dental clinic is fine, right? [27:33] The John Fada rally piece is a loyalty [27:35] demonstration for a leader who can't [27:37] show up with a witness who thinks that [27:39] 30 million sounds about right. [27:42] Right? And a planted absurd quote [27:45] designed to explain why the supreme [27:46] leader hasn't shown his face yet. And [27:48] then you have the Tasnim piece with [27:50] which repackages the same rally in [27:52] religious language for a different [27:54] audience while the IRGC's own outlet [27:57] carefully avoids repeating the slip that [28:00] called their new leader a martyr [28:02] earlier. [28:03] Now, none of these are random, [28:04] obviously. This is all coordinated [28:06] messaging from a regime that is [28:09] um struggling [28:12] uh to manage a domestic population [28:16] that it's been shooting at and an [28:18] international audience that it needs to [28:21] save face in front of. [28:24] And the situation, [28:25] which is increasingly untenable [28:28] like from a messaging perspective, it's [28:30] one thing if while the bombing is [28:32] happening, no one sees Mostafa. That's [28:33] great. They can just say he's in hiding [28:35] cuz the Americans and Israelis are going [28:36] to kill him. But the But there's no [28:38] shooting anymore and the supreme leader [28:40] hasn't hasn't shown his face and it's [28:42] getting more and more absurd and they [28:43] obviously know it and that's why they're [28:45] putting out all this messaging about how [28:47] everything's fine. [28:50] Right? And the political system is is uh [28:52] is is obviously [28:54] falling apart. So [28:57] So that's So I I think this is all good [28:59] news. I think the regime is is uh [29:01] scrambling right now, struggling to hold [29:03] it together. [29:04] Um and uh [29:06] and and uh and domestically, I think we [29:08] should be seeing the the people rising [29:10] up soon. I think all of this signals [29:12] that things are coming to a head and it [29:15] cannot come soon enough. Thanks for [29:17] watching.
