The IRGC’s Propaganda Machine: Controlling Public Perception in Iran

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is not just a military and economic powerhouse—it is also a propaganda machine designed to control public perception, silence dissent, and spread regime narratives both inside Iran and globally. Through state-controlled media, digital manipulation, censorship, and disinformation, the IRGC ensures that only the regime’s version of reality dominates the information space.

With tight control over television, newspapers, social media, and religious institutions, the IRGC influences how Iranians perceive politics, history, and world events. Meanwhile, disinformation campaigns target the global audience to justify Iran’s actions, spread anti-Western narratives, and attack critics abroad.

This report examines how the IRGC manipulates information, the impact of its propaganda, and how the global community can counter its influence.

1. The IRGC’s Control Over Media and Information in Iran

The IRGC’s propaganda network includes state-owned news agencies, television networks, and social media operations.

A. State-Controlled Media Outlets

The IRGC controls Iran’s major news networks, ensuring that all media follows regime-approved narratives.

 • Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)

 • Iran’s state-run media organization, which broadcasts government propaganda nationwide.

 • All Iranian news channels are monitored by IRIB, which is directly controlled by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

 • Bans independent journalism and censors opposition voices.

 • Tasnim News Agency & Fars News Agency

 • Both are IRGC-affiliated outlets that publish state propaganda, anti-Western narratives, and fabricated reports.

 • Spread misinformation about Iranian dissidents and opposition movements.

 • Press TV (English-Language Propaganda)

 • Iran’s international news network, which targets global audiences with anti-Western and anti-Israel content.

 • Acts as a tool for regime propaganda, spreading false narratives about Iran’s human rights abuses.

B. Internet Censorship and Digital Control

The IRGC ensures that Iranians have limited access to free information by:

 • Blocking social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram.

 • Shutting down the internet during protests to prevent activists from organizing.

 • Surveilling online activity and arresting people for anti-regime content.

 • Promoting regime-approved alternatives, such as domestic apps that allow state surveillance.

By controlling television, newspapers, and digital spaces, the IRGC shapes public perception to serve its political interests.

2. The IRGC’s Use of Disinformation and Psychological Warfare

The IRGC goes beyond censorship—it actively spreads disinformation to manipulate both Iranian citizens and global audiences.

A. Creating False Narratives to Justify Regime Actions

 • Protests and opposition movements are labeled as “foreign conspiracies” to delegitimize dissent.

 • Regime violence is downplayed or denied, with protesters being called “rioters” and “terrorists.”

 • The IRGC portrays itself as a defender of Iran’s sovereignty, claiming it protects the country from “Western aggression.”

B. Smear Campaigns Against Activists and Journalists

The IRGC runs media attacks and fake news campaigns against:

 • Iranian dissidents abroad, portraying them as “traitors” or “foreign agents.”

 • Exiled journalists and activists, spreading fabricated allegations to discredit them.

 • Human rights organizations, accusing them of “collaborating with the West” against Iran.

C. Exporting Propaganda Through Foreign Networks

The IRGC funds media outlets in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen to spread pro-Iranian narratives in the region.

 • Al-Manar TV (Hezbollah-affiliated) – A platform for pro-IRGC and anti-Israel messaging.

 • Al-Mayadeen (Lebanon-based) – Spreads IRGC-aligned viewpoints in the Arab world.

Through these channels, the IRGC influences global debates on Iran’s policies, terrorism, and military operations.

3. Social Media Manipulation and Cyber Propaganda

The IRGC has adapted to the digital age, using social media to control narratives and target both Iranian and international audiences.

A. IRGC-Linked Troll Farms and Fake Accounts

 • Operate thousands of fake social media accounts to spread pro-regime narratives.

 • Attack activists, journalists, and political dissidents with online harassment campaigns.

 • Create hashtags and trends to push anti-Western and anti-Israel messaging.

B. Cyber Attacks on Independent Media

 • Hacking campaigns against Persian-language news outlets like Iran International and BBC Persian.

 • DDoS attacks on websites exposing IRGC crimes.

 • Phishing attacks targeting Iranian activists and journalists.

C. Manipulating International Media

 • The IRGC exaggerates Western hostilities against Iran to fuel nationalist sentiment.

 • Spreads false stories about Iranian “victories” in military and diplomatic conflicts.

 • Uses social media bots to promote regime propaganda in Western countries.

These cyber strategies allow the IRGC to maintain a monopoly on information and suppress opposition voices worldwide.

4. How the IRGC Uses Propaganda to Maintain Power

A. Controlling Public Opinion in Iran

By dominating media and digital spaces, the IRGC ensures that Iranians see the regime as powerful and opposition groups as weak or foreign-backed.

B. Preventing Mass Uprisings

 • Fear-based propaganda discourages protests, with threats of harsh crackdowns, executions, and arrests.

 • Surveillance propaganda makes citizens fear speaking out, as the regime constantly reminds them that dissent is monitored.

C. Justifying Foreign Interventions

 • The IRGC promotes Iran’s involvement in Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen as “defending the Islamic world.”

 • Iranian casualties in conflicts are portrayed as martyrs, preventing backlash against the regime’s military expansion.

The IRGC’s control over perception is crucial for its survival, as truth and free information pose the biggest threats to its power.

5. How to Counter the IRGC’s Propaganda Machine

A. Strengthening Independent Persian-Language Media

 • Increase funding for Iran International, BBC Persian, and Radio Farda, which provide unbiased reporting.

 • Expand access to satellite and digital broadcasting, bypassing IRGC censorship.

B. Supporting Secure Internet Access in Iran

 • Provide VPNs, encrypted messaging apps, and proxy servers to Iranian citizens.

 • Support Starlink and other satellite internet providers to bypass government restrictions.

C. Exposing IRGC Disinformation Worldwide

 • Governments should monitor and shut down IRGC-linked troll accounts spreading misinformation.

 • Social media platforms must crack down on Iranian state propaganda pages.

D. Designating the IRGC as a Terrorist Organization

 • The EU, UK, and Canada must fully designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization.

 • Restrict IRGC-affiliated media outlets and prevent them from spreading misinformation abroad.

By limiting the IRGC’s ability to control narratives, the world can help Iranian citizens access truthful information and resist state propaganda.

 Conclusion: Information Is a Weapon Against the IRGC

The IRGC’s propaganda machine is one of its most powerful tools, enabling repression, foreign interventions, and global terrorism. Controlling public perception is key to its survival, which is why independent information, internet freedom, and digital resistance pose the biggest threat to its dominance.