In a televised interview, Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the Deputy Coordinator of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army, has publicly admitted to a systematic strategy of exaggeration in state-run media. This confession by Admiral Sayyari, in which he states that media outlets are instructed to inflate military achievements, raises serious questions about the credibility of Iran’s official narratives.
Background
These remarks follow the “12-day war,” a conflict in which other military officials have also acknowledged that Iran lost the “media war” to the enemy. In his comments, Sayyari stated, “We always tell the media we do 50% of the work, you do the other 50%.” This statement effectively confirms that official military reports are manipulated for propaganda purposes.
Analysis
This public admission of the instrumental use of media by a high-ranking military official is a rare and highly significant act. It reveals that the Islamic Republic’s system systematically resorts to disinformation to maintain its image and domestic morale. Such an approach not only completely erodes public trust in state institutions and official media but also demonstrates the government’s desperation in the face of actual battlefield failures. As the Iranian people grapple with deep economic and social crises, the confession that the government is feeding them a fabricated and exaggerated reality showcases the regime’s total disregard for the public’s right to accurate and transparent information, further deepening the chasm between the nation and its government.
Conclusion
Admiral Sayyari’s statements are a clear document of how the Islamic Republic’s propaganda machine operates, confirming that official narratives of military achievements are not reports of reality but part of a psychological warfare strategy to manage public opinion.
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