Washington: In a tense escalation without a single shot fired, the United States and Iran have plunged into a shadowy battle of minds, where propaganda and misinformation serve as the primary weapons.
President Donald Trump is spearheading efforts to undermine Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s regime through psychological tactics, aiming to spark internal unrest and force a collapse from within.
Trump’s recent statement urging Iranians to sustain their protests, with vague promises of American support, has been seen as a deliberate ploy to sow fear and division. “Aid is coming,” he declared, leaving the nature of assistance ambiguous to heighten anxiety in Tehran. Echoing this, exiled former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has called on Iranian military officers to defect and join the rebellion against the government.
Western media, backed by U.S. influence, is amplifying unverified claims, such as exaggerated death tolls of 20,000 in ongoing protests, while pinning economic woes squarely on Khamenei— despite the recent election of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian. Social media platforms, including those tied to Israel, are flooded with doctored videos and outdated footage to erode public trust. Adding pressure, Washington is pushing allies like Britain to brand Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist outfit, a move designed to shatter the elite force’s morale.
This form of warfare, rooted in ancient strategies like those employed by Cyrus the Great or Genghis Khan, focuses on demoralising the enemy through disinformation, reducing their will to fight without direct confrontation. According to reports, the U.S. seeks to provoke panic in Iran’s leadership, potentially paving the way for a coup, avoiding the costs of open conflict.
Experts warn that such mind games could destabilise the region further, with Iran’s responses yet to unfold in this high-stakes psychological duel.