The Iranian regime has launched an online campaign to recruit volunteers – including children – to fight alongside Hamas in the war against Israel. But the government’s propaganda efforts are not making much headway among anti-regime Iranians.
After Hamas carried out a violent operation in Israel called “Al-Aqsa Flood” on October 7, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard started an online campaign with the same name. They wanted to convince young Iranian males to join Hamas in their fight. This campaign was promoted on Iranian state TV, radio, and Revolutionary Guard-affiliated websites. According to Iranian television, over 3 million volunteers have already signed up to join Hamas.
The “Al-Aqsa Flood” campaign shows a young boy, not yet a teenager, wearing military clothes in front of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque. He also has a special scarf (called a keffiyeh) representing support for Palestine around his neck. On his jacket, he wears a pin with a picture of General Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani, who led a special unit in the Revolutionary Guard, was killed by American forces in Baghdad in 2020.
The campaign, with its alarming symbolism, is an eerie reminder of Iran’s tragic losses during its war with Iraq in the 1980s. More than half-a-million Iranians died in that conflict, including thousands of young boys who were sent to the front with a key around their necks and the promise it would open the gates to paradise.
Jonathan Piron, a historian specialised in Iran at the Etopia research centre in Brussels, said that although the regime is trying to play on symbolism in the campaign, it might not be as effective as it hopes.
“The Iranian regime often advocates the Palestinian cause with a sort of hype to try to rally the population, but [the Iranian people] aren’t fooled by how the regime tries to use the cause to serve its own interests,” he explained.
“Parts of the population interpret this discourse as propaganda, even if they’re not indifferent to the plight of the Palestinians,” he said.
Anti-regime protesters hijack slogans
In Iran, the government often uses strong language against Israel, even during Friday prayers attended by hardline supporters. They shout things like “Death to Israel,” along with “Death to America” and “Death to Britain.”
However, many Iranians don’t take these slogans seriously anymore. During protests against the government, some people even change the slogans to call for the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s removal.
A picture of a young Iranian woman avoiding stepping on an Israeli flag by jumping over it became popular on social media.
Iran has a history of running campaigns where people can volunteer to fight Israel, especially during times of conflict in Gaza. Iran supports groups like Hamas, both openly and secretly through the Revolutionary Guards. In 2022, the head of Hamas said they received $70 million from Iran for their defense. A report from the US State Department in 2020 stated that Iran gives up to $100 million each year to Palestinian groups, including Hamas.
Refusal to trample the Israeli flag
In Tehran, a huge sign showed up last week, urging everyone to come together “against the unfair treatment,” specifically talking about Israel and its friends in the West.
Piron said that when the lady refused to step on the flag, it was a powerful message. This is because, in Iran, they’re making people walk on Israeli and American flags painted on the ground in front of some buildings. Piron also mentioned that old tricks like this aren’t working as well anymore because more and more people don’t trust them.
In recent years, according to Piron, people protesting against the government have started to complain about how the government spends money internationally. They’re asking why the funds used for activities in Syria, Lebanon, and supporting Hamas couldn’t be used to help struggling Iranian citizens facing economic difficulties.
A dangerous game to play
Since Mahsa Amini’s passing in September last year, tensions between Iranians supporting and opposing the government have risen. This has sometimes led to public displays of anger against the government’s backing of Hamas. On October 8, during a soccer match in Tehran, many fans protested openly when Revolutionary Guards waved Palestinian flags on the field.
Piron mentioned that the government’s growing efforts to push for a war with Israel are very risky. He explained that while Tehran is rallying significant support for Palestine, there’s a danger of getting stuck in a situation unless they fully commit to it.
To put it simply, Iran is taking a big risk with its current actions. This is especially risky because Israel’s friend, the United States, recently said on October 22 that they are increasing their military presence in the Middle East. They also warned both Iran and militant groups not to escalate the conflict in the region.
SOURCE:FRANCE24