Iranian Media Celebrate ‘Victory’ as Public Sentiment Remains Divided
- Mickey Segall
- Jun 25
- 4 min read
Executive Summary:
Following the 12-day war with Israel, the Islamic Republic launched an extensive victory campaign, emphasizing its military resilience, popular support, and supposed moral high ground. State media saturated broadcasts with images of crowds waving flags, children chanting patriotic slogans, and symbolic music—such as the repurposed voice of exiled maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian—aimed at projecting unity and divine favor. Officials praised the people’s calm, discipline, and refusal to succumb to foreign psychological warfare, portraying the episode as proof of the regime’s legitimacy and strategic success.
However, critics like Mohammadreza Yousefi Sheikh-Rabat offer a sobering counterpoint. Writing in Shargh, he cautions that the people's solidarity was rooted in national identity, not ideological loyalty. He warns that beneath the spectacle lies widespread discontent with governance, corruption, and social exclusion. Calling for deep structural reforms in economic policy, administration, civil rights, and the very definition of national security, Yousefi argues that the real victory will only come if the regime heeds this warning. The war may have protected Iran’s borders, but only justice, meritocracy, and inclusivity will protect its future.
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Iranian media on 25 June 2025 erupted in celebration of a “victory” in the 12-day war with Israel, following a ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump that took effect on 24 June. Front pages across the political spectrum showcased state-organized rallies, with images of jubilant crowds waving flags and chanting slogans dominating coverage. State-run and hardline outlets framed the end of the war as a resounding triumph, drawing parallels to the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War by labeling it a continuation of the “Sacred Defence” or an “Imposed War.”
These headlines—splashed across front pages with visuals of flag-waving crowds—underscore a coordinated state effort to project legitimacy, strength, and national unity. This campaign was further symbolized by the regime’s use of Mohammad Reza Shajarian’s iconic song "Iran, Ey Saray-e Omid," played during victory parades and broadcast across state media—an appropriation of a cultural icon long associated with dissent, repurposed here to stir patriotic emotions.
Examples of the regime’s triumphalist messaging abound. Hamshahri, operated by the Tehran municipality, boldly declared “We Won,” while Qods claimed the Iranian people had “delivered a victorious message to the world” through the 24 June rallies. Jaam-e Jam, backed by state broadcasters, echoed the Iran-Iraq War narrative, calling the conflict “the 12-Day Sacred Defence” and asserting that Iran had triumphed. The ultraconservative Kayhan labeled the rallies “epic,” asserting that Iran had “imposed the ceasefire” by “destroying Israel,” and cited the 23 June attack on the U.S. Al-Udeid base in Qatar, adding that Iran was “still keeping its finger on the trigger.” The Tehran Times similarly ran the headline: “Victory Was Achieved, But Iran’s Finger Remains on the Trigger.”
Other conservative outlets followed suit. Farhikhtegan boasted that Iran had “ended the war with power,” mocking exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, while Vatan-e Emrouz triumphantly declared, “The Iranian Flag Flies Proud.” Even the moderate conservative Jomhuri-ye Eslami stated that the U.S. and Israel “failed to continue the war with Iran.” The reformist Arman-e Emrouz also referred to the conflict as an “imposed war,” aligning itself—at least partially—with the official narrative of resistance and resilience.
Still, not all coverage echoed the state’s tone. While the official media pushed a victory narrative, reformist outlets and social media portrayed a more nuanced mood. Hammihan likened the postwar atmosphere to “the calm after a hurricane,” suggesting exhaustion rather than euphoria, while Etemad noted, “Tehran’s sky is clear,” reflecting quiet relief. The economic daily Donya-ye Eqtesad described a sense of stabilization, with headlines like “Markets Smiling at the Ceasefire” and “Calm After 12 Days.”
Despite internet restrictions that limited global visibility, social media revealed polarized responses. Posts on X (formerly Twitter) showed massive state-organized gatherings in Tehran’s Azadi and Enghelab Squares and elsewhere across Iran, featuring chants such as “No Compromise,” “Death to Israel,” and open support for the armed forces, reinforcing the regime's official messaging.
However, skepticism abounded. Some users questioned the state’s version of victory: “Iranians are celebrating in Revolution Square—what a victory: no air force, no air defense, no generals, no ATMs, five million fled the capital, skies open to Israeli jets and drones, nuclear sites destroyed…” Others drew historical comparisons, suggesting irony or even defeat: “Tehran erupts in celebration after a ceasefire—with nuclear sites in ruins and the military gutted—declaring ‘victory’ over Israel and the U.S.”
This complex mix of pride, fatigue, and irony reveals a population navigating the blurred lines between triumph and trauma. Yet, continued internet restrictions limit external engagement and reinforce the regime’s ability to control the national narrative.
Adding to this layered landscape, political commentator Mohammadreza Yousefi Sheikh-Rabat published a powerful critique of the government’s internal performance. Writing in Shargh, Yousefi warned against misinterpreting the public’s wartime unity as political endorsement. He stressed that while Iranians stood with the state against foreign attack, deep discontent with governance, corruption, and social exclusion remains. He called for sweeping reforms in governance, economic management, diplomacy, and civil inclusion, urging a shift away from sycophancy and factionalism. National security, he argued, must be redefined to center on human well-being rather than military posturing. Only through meritocracy, honest dialogue, and inclusive leadership, he concluded, can the regime ensure long-term legitimacy.
Overall Picture
The Iranian press and social media on 25 June 2025 painted a nation ostensibly united in victory, celebrating what is being framed as a successful defense against Israel, invoking the language of “Sacred Defence” and an “Imposed War.” State-organized rallies and bold headlines in outlets such as Hamshahri, Qods, Kayhan, and Tehran Times reinforced this orchestrated image of strength, particularly in light of the Al-Udeid base strike and the subsequent ceasefire.
Yet beneath this triumphalist veneer, alternative narratives emerged, marked by exhaustion, skepticism, and calls for reform. Reformist media and many Iranians on social platforms conveyed a more profound ambivalence, tempered by years of dissatisfaction and the high cost of war. In this atmosphere of fragile peace and limited digital freedom, the regime's portrayal of unity may resonate less as national consensus and more as strategic performance.
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