«الدعاية الرمادية» بين أمريكا وإيران.. الوعي ينتصر!

Political propaganda, in its simplest concepts, is an organized media practice aimed at influencing the emotions and behavior of the public; ultimately achieving gains in controlling and directing public opinion, mobilizing and motivating it towards adopting certain positions, and creating acceptance of the legitimacy of the decisions reached, through selective information methods, the use of symbols and slogans, and the exploitation of media and social networks.

The most dangerous types of propaganda in times of peace and war are (gray propaganda), which relies on information that is inaccurate in its source and unclear in its blending of facts and lies. It primarily depends on media leaks, rumors, and the employment of third parties in the process of publishing and interaction, as opposed to (white propaganda), which clearly announces its source and often provides correct information, and (black propaganda), which can reveal its false and misleading information and its declared goals in provocation, distortion, and escalation.

On this basis, gray propaganda remains the most dangerous after the understanding agreement between America and Iran in shaping local and international public opinion, as the tactics of each party in dealing with the gap between the end of the war and reaching a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict have become clear. The U.S. has dealt with this gap by publishing targeted intelligence leaks regarding Iranian military losses from the war, the deteriorating economic conditions after the sanctions, and exerting psychological pressure on the decision-maker to accept and comply with what is required at this stage.

In contrast, Iran employs gray propaganda using social media platforms and artificial intelligence technologies, such as the satirical "Lego videos," narratives of victory through its proxies in the region, and exploiting the internal American differences to deepen political polarization in Washington. It also highlights Israel's positions - the American ally in the war - as extreme and losing, which increases the psychological pressure on the American administration.

What is striking in the gray propaganda war between Washington and Tehran is that it has not only targeted the international community but has also directed itself inward in both countries. The American administration is conducting an unprecedented propaganda campaign domestically to showcase its victory and success in securing a better deal for the American people than Obama's agreement, which is evident in the media and on social media platforms associated with the current administration.

Meanwhile, Iran focuses internally on the existential idea of the regime, the winning cards for victory, especially the Strait of Hormuz, mocking its enemies, and the psychology of billboards in public squares. Tehran has utilized public spaces (such as the Vali Asr Square) to disseminate visual propaganda directed at America by placing huge distorted murals of President Trump; to reinforce the idea of the "breaking point" and Iranian control over navigation.

The gray propaganda between the two countries will continue during the sixty days and beyond, but it will also persist with varying periods of activation and cooling depending on the expected data and changes after the final agreement. Each party still clings to its own narrative of war and peace, but the international awareness of governments and peoples remains capable of examining all those details and dealing with them in a competitive framework, and a long-term struggle. Most importantly, public opinion in any society is not influenced by the content of that propaganda.