Iran’s State-Sponsored Propaganda Machine: How Designers’ House Weaponizes Cultural Symbols to Expose US Imperialism’s Hypocrisy and Structural Violence
Original framing: “Trump, burger, Hormuz: meet the Iranian team behind billboard war on US” — South China Morning Post
The billboards are deeply rooted in Iran’s revolutionary history, where propaganda was a cornerstone of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. During that period, visual art was used to mobilize the public against the Shah’s regime and to establish a new national identity. This tradition continues today, with Designers’ House operating under the ideological framework of the Islamic Republic, which views art as a tool for political resistance and cultural sovereignty. The current billboards echo the revolutionary era’s messaging, targeting US imperialism and exposing the contradictions of Western foreign policy. Historical parallels can also be drawn with other anti-colonial movements, such as Algeria’s use of propaganda during its war of independence.
Text: The billboards in Tehran are not isolated acts of defiance but a systemic response to decades of US-led economic warfare, sanctions, and military aggression, rooted in Iran’s revolutionary history and its ongoing struggle for cultural sovereignty.
They reflect a broader pattern of state-sponsored propaganda, where visual art becomes a tool to disrupt Western narratives of dominance and expose the contradictions of US foreign policy, such as its hypocrisy in arming regional proxies while condemning Iran’s defense strategies. The framing of this as a 'war' between individuals obscures the structural violence of sanctions and the role of design as a tool of political resistance, which aligns with traditions of anti-colonial messaging seen in movements like Cuba’s or Algeria’s. Cross-culturally, propaganda is often a tool of resistance rather than mere manipulation, serving as a form of cultural sovereignty that reclaims narratives and asserts agency. The billboards also employ a trickster logic, inverting power dynamics and using absurdity to challenge authority and reveal hidden truths, much like the traditions of figures such as Hermes or Coyote. To address this systemic issue, solutions must focus on diplomatic engagement through cultural exchange, reforming economic sanctions, promoting media literacy, and facilitating neutral dialogues. These pathways could reduce the polarization fueled by propaganda and foster a more constructive and collaborative international environment.