The Iranian Opposition and the Disinformation War (Part 1)
As Iranians fight to free their country, more awareness is needed on the liberation struggle
On the Iranian Opposition and the national liberation struggle
I feel obliged on part of my Iranian friends to cover this extensively because I honestly believe this has been one of the biggest problems facing Iranians who are struggling against the regime. In one my my earlier posts I implored people not to back the wrong horse on Iran, highlighting the extremely poor choices made by people who should know better, help bolster the narratives of the Islamic Republic despite their stances against it.
The failure to know and understand the true opposition to the Islamic Republic is one of if not the most crucial component in the various failures regarding Iran shared among Western, Israeli and Arab governments, journalists and think-tanks. Too many wrong assumptions have been made about the opposition and the Iranian Diaspora community, more astonishing given the experience of Eastern European diaspora communities in the Cold War.
The national uprising since the end of 2017, and indeed much of the liberation struggle against the regime, has demolished some widely held myths about the Iranian opposition. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the opposition movement has a powerful reach inside Iran and this has been revealed through the chants of the protest movements: “Reza Shah, bless your soul” and “No Gaza, no Lebanon, my life only for Iran”. This makes a mockery not only of regime apologists, but also of the many people who have made very poor choices regarding the Iranian opposition that will be shown below.
There is no question that Reza Pahlavi is the most popular figure among Iranian people because of the reverence for the legacy of the Pahlavi monarchy and the rejection of everything the Islamic Republic represents. The biggest current of the Iranian opposition can be described thus as monarchist, nationalist and constitutionalist. This is not just a powerful and inspiring legacy drawing upon the illustrious history of Iran, but also a vision for the future of the country after liberation is accomplished.
Two themes I will touch on here are unity and diversity. The opposition movement encompasses a wide range of individuals and groups from all walks of life, focusing on a wide range of issues but all working towards the goal of ending the Islamic Republic. The No To Islamic Republic campaign and the overwhelmingly successful calls for an election boycott has seen the opposition further step up its efforts. The poor choices made by many regarding the Iranian opposition means they miss out on engaging with the real voices of Iranian people in the struggle.
Having come to know many Iranian activists on social media, I can say that they are remarkable, passionate and dedicated people whose activism and commitment has helped raise awareness of opposition to the regime and the crimes the regime has committed against its own population and the threat it poses to humanity. They give me hope because I see them as determined as ever to let the world know and to end this regime.
The gains made by a determined Iranian opposition in the public sphere are, however, being met with a campaign of disinformation. These include:
Direct propaganda methods (“black propaganda”) include disinformation by the regime’s lobbyists and apologists in the West. They are centred around lobby organisations like NIAC and the Quincy Institute, journalists, politicians, “human rights” lawyers and associated NGOs such as Human Rights Watch. The Western Left, especially in the United States and Britain, is part of this nexus.
Indirect propaganda (“grey” or “white”) is more subtle and includes inaccurate reporting on unrest and attempting to paint a picture of “normality” in Iran. This is frequently done by (especially European) politicians, businessmen and diplomats and media outlets, whose actions produce a subtler form of propaganda for the regime.
a campaign of disinformation to marginalise the legitimate Iranian opposition, frequently made by supporters of the MEK political cult and ethnic separatist movements. They ignore the popularity and unifying force of Reza Pahlavi and the broad spectrum of opposition movements, and routinely attack them. The MEK and separatist movements have actively courted politicians, analysts and media to promote their cause.
I have placed them in three broad categories to help you understand how each of these groups serves the interests of the Islamic Republic in Iran - in the first case directly through classic methods of black propaganda and having an interest (ideological or otherwise) in the continuation of the regime. I aim to show how the Western Left and Islamists have a convergence of interests that reflects itself in this disinformation campaign, which has deep roots in Soviet campaigns against the West.
What will also be shown here is that the Islamic Republic does not have a monopoly on disinformation, as other forces (specifically the MEK and ethnic separatist movements) also engage in disinformation campaigns against the Iranian opposition, which in turn assists the regime’s own disinformation campaigns.
But this is also intended to show that if one partakes in marginalising the Iranian opposition by falling for any of the above, they not only fail the Iranian people but also make a complete mockery of whatever Western freedom and democracy they presently enjoy. That is, of course, if they even believe in those things at all.