Iran’s Disinformation War Against the Truth
Iran’s state-controlled media has long served as a propaganda arm of the regime, not only to promote its own geopolitical interests but also to manipulate global narratives surrounding its terrorist proxies. Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre against Israel, Iran’s propaganda machine went into overdrive, seeking to distort the truth, justify terrorism, and erase the horrific crimes committed by Hamas. This was particularly evident in Iranian media’s response to the hostage crisis, as it attempted to portray Hamas as humane and merciful while systematically whitewashing its atrocities.
On February 20, 2025, Iranian news agencies published reports attempting to depict Hamas as a benevolent force that treated Israeli hostages with dignity and respect. These reports cynically manipulated the testimony of Agam Berger, an IDF observer who had been kidnapped from the Nahal Oz outpost on October 7 and later released as part of Israel’s hostage deal. Iranian outlets selectively quoted her words, twisting their meaning to fit their narrative. This blatant misrepresentation was not an isolated incident but part of a well-documented Iranian disinformation campaign aimed at softening Hamas’ image while covering up its crimes.
This report analyzes how Iran’s propaganda efforts have systematically distorted the truth, the mechanisms by which these narratives are spread, and the broader implications of Iran’s media strategy in the context of its regional war against Israel.
A Systematic Disinformation Campaign
The October 7 massacre, orchestrated by Hamas and supported by Iran, was the deadliest terrorist attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. More than 1,163 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered in cold blood, thousands were wounded, and over 250 hostages were taken into Gaza, where they suffered unimaginable horrors. Hamas terrorists systematically slaughtered civilians, raped women, mutilated bodies, and filmed their atrocities as part of their psychological warfare campaign.
Despite this overwhelming evidence, Iran’s state-controlled media has worked tirelessly to sanitize Hamas’ crimes, employing a range of propaganda tactics. These include:
- Selective Quoting and Misrepresentation: Iranian media outlets take testimony from released hostages and manipulate their words to create the false impression that Hamas treated them well. Agam Berger’s case is a prime example of this tactic. While she and other hostages have testified about the horrific abuse they endured—including starvation, beatings, and psychological torture—Iranian media omitted these details, instead quoting out-of-context phrases that could be misconstrued as positive.
- False Equivalence Between Hamas and Israel: Iranian propaganda seeks to portray Israel as equally culpable for the suffering of civilians in Gaza. This is a deliberate attempt to create a moral equivalence between a terrorist organization that initiated mass murder and a sovereign state acting in self-defense. Iranian media frequently omits Hamas’ use of human shields, its refusal to allow Gazan civilians to evacuate war zones, and its own war crimes.
- Erasure of Sexual Violence and War Crimes: One of the most grotesque aspects of Iran’s propaganda strategy is its complete denial of Hamas’ mass sexual violence against Israeli women. Testimonies from released hostages, forensic reports, and intercepted communications have confirmed that Hamas terrorists engaged in widespread rape, mutilation, and sadistic abuse. Yet, Iranian media refuses to acknowledge these crimes, choosing instead to focus on fabricated narratives of Hamas’ supposed humane treatment of prisoners.
- Amplifying Hamas’ Propaganda via Social Media and Foreign Media Outlets: Iranian intelligence services actively spread disinformation through fake social media accounts, anonymous news sites, and even mainstream Western media outlets sympathetic to anti-Israel narratives. This network floods social media platforms with manipulated videos, forged documents, and coordinated hashtags aimed at shifting global perception.
Iran’s War Against Israel
Iran’s media efforts to launder Hamas’ image are not simply about propaganda; they are part of a broader military and ideological campaign against Israel. Since the October 7 massacre, Iran has been waging a multi-front war against Israel, using its terrorist proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen to launch daily attacks.
Tehran understands that military force alone will not destroy Israel—it must also win the war of perception. By flooding international discourse with pro-Hamas narratives, Iran seeks to:
- Undermine Israel’s Legitimacy: Iranian propaganda aims to paint Israel as an aggressor, eroding global support for its right to self-defense. This is why Iranian media refuses to acknowledge that Hamas started the war, that it butchered civilians, and that it continues to hold hostages under horrific conditions.
- Prevent Further Israeli Military Successes: Iran’s proxies, including Hezbollah and Hamas, are suffering massive losses due to Israel’s superior military capabilities. By pushing for international ceasefires and framing Israel’s actions as “war crimes,” Iran hopes to pressure Israel into halting its operations before Hamas is fully dismantled.
- Mobilize Anti-Israel Sentiment in the West: Pro-Hamas protests in Western capitals, radicalized university movements, and online campaigns glorifying October 7 all stem from Iranian-backed media operations. Tehran uses these tools to foster global hostility toward Israel, creating political pressure that weakens international support for Israel’s war effort.
- Shield Iran From Accountability: While Iran funds, arms, and directs Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist groups, it portrays itself as a neutral actor. Iranian media carefully avoids discussing its role in supplying Hamas with weapons, training its fighters, and coordinating attacks against Israel.
Countering Iran’s Propaganda
Iran’s attempt to whitewash Hamas’ atrocities is not just a media manipulation campaign—it is an extension of its war against Israel. By distorting facts, erasing Hamas’ crimes, and amplifying false narratives, Tehran seeks to weaken Israel’s position and embolden its terrorist proxies.
However, the truth remains undeniable. Hamas’ October 7 massacre was one of the most barbaric acts of terrorism in modern history. The terrorists who carried out these crimes were not freedom fighters, but sadistic murderers who reveled in the slaughter of innocents. Iran, as Hamas’ primary sponsor, bears direct responsibility for these war crimes, and no amount of propaganda can change that fact.
To counter Iran’s disinformation, Israel and its allies must take proactive steps:
- Expose Iranian Propaganda: Every attempt by Iranian media to rewrite history must be challenged with factual evidence. Survivor testimonies, forensic reports, and Hamas’ own recordings of its atrocities must be widely disseminated to counter Iran’s lies.
- Pressure Social Media Platforms: Iranian disinformation networks rely on platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and Telegram to spread falsehoods. Governments and intelligence agencies must work with tech companies to dismantle these networks.
- Hold Iran Accountable: Tehran cannot be allowed to fund terrorism while pretending to be an innocent bystander. International sanctions must be expanded to target Iranian media outlets, cyber warfare units, and propaganda arms that spread terrorist narratives.
- Reaffirm Israel’s Right to Self-Defense: The war against Hamas is not just about defeating a terrorist group—it is about ensuring that October 7 never happens again. Any effort to pressure Israel into a premature ceasefire only serves Iran’s interests.
Ultimately, Iran’s propaganda may fool some, but it will never erase the truth: Hamas committed atrocities of unimaginable horror, and Israel is fighting a just and necessary war to eliminate this threat. No amount of disinformation can change that reality.
