Dehumanizing language between Iran and the U.S. reflects systemic dehumanization patterns in geopolitical conflict
Original framing: “How the words that Iran and America use about each other paved the way for conflict” — The Conversation - Global
The original framing omits the historical context of U.S. involvement in Iran, including the 1953 coup, and the role of U.S. media in shaping public perception of Iran as an existential threat. It also lacks input from Iranian scholars and civil society, and ignores the impact of economic sanctions on Iranian civilians.
Medium structural omission detected in mainstream coverage.
This narrative is produced by Western academic and media institutions, often for audiences in the Global North. It serves the framing of Iran as a geopolitical threat, reinforcing U.S. foreign policy narratives and justifying continued sanctions and military posturing. It obscures the role of U.S. interventions in the Middle East and the historical context of Iran’s resistance to foreign influence.
The current conflict language echoes historical patterns of dehumanization used in colonial and wartime propaganda. The 1953 Iranian coup and subsequent U.S. interventions laid the groundwork for mutual distrust, yet these historical precedents are rarely acknowledged in mainstream coverage.
The dehumanizing language between Iran and the U.S. is not an isolated phenomenon but a symptom of deeper systemic issues rooted in historical grievances, media narratives, and geopolitical power structures.