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Iran’s cunning communication tactics erodes US credibility across Muslim world: Report

April 20, 2026

Washington’s reputation has taken a major hit in Muslim-majority nations since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, mainly due to ingenious communication tactics deployed by the Islamic Republic, according to diplomatic cables reviewed by POLITICO.

The cables specifically detail the war’s aftermath in three Muslim countries located in different parts of the world: Bahrain, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia.

“Taken together, the cables paint a picture of countries where the US is losing the population’s trust, and potentially that of their governments,” the DC-based outlet reports.

Since the beginning of the war, Iranian embassies and digital creators have extensively used memes and various tools across multiple online platforms to undermine Washington’s often confusing and aggressive messaging.

In particular, AI-generated satirical videos produced by Iranian digital media company Explosive Media, styled like Lego movies, have consistently gone viral on social media, racking up millions of views.

🎶 Iran-linked accounts are circulating a new LEGO-style propaganda video portraying U.S. and Israeli leaders as corrupt elites tied to the “Epstein files,” part of a broader online campaign aimed at undermining support for the war.

The animation depicts President Donald Trump… pic.twitter.com/PdjcJGrjuy

— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) April 9, 2026

The popularity of the videos led YouTube to suspend Explosive Media’s channel for alleged “violent content.”

“Seriously! Are our LEGO-style animations actually violent?” Explosive Media asked via social media following YouTube’s ban.

⚡️⭕️ The Iranians are following everything we're saying on social media

Insane music video 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/vjgNPRlpnj

— Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) April 15, 2026

Iranian embassies have also been instrumental in undermining Washington’s justifications for its war of aggression, often poking fun at US government officials and challenging their statements.

The Strait of Hormuz will be controlled by me and the Ayatollah😎😁 pic.twitter.com/IxIgo1Pn6S

— Iran Embassy SA (@IraninSA) March 23, 2026

On the other hand, US embassies across the world have “been instructed not to create original content about the Iran war to share publicly and instead are largely limited to reposting approved messaging from the White House or the State Department,” POLITICO reports.

The situation is compounded by US diplomats becoming “afraid to speak up under the Trump administration after it largely sidelined them from key foreign policy decisions, fired numerous members of the Foreign Service and emphasized ‘fidelity’ for those left.”

“Posts are being very careful in selecting their topics and how they phrase things,” one US diplomat told POLITICO.

In Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, diplomatic cables revealed growing concerns among the population that “the US abandoned Bahrain to focus on protecting Israel instead.”

The cable from Manama reportedly points to a specific viral tweet that asked “Why are US forces being placed in hotels among civilians? Does America, which has abandoned the Gulf for Israel’s security and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s objectives, deserve for you to put the Bahraini people at risk?”

In Azerbaijan, where US President Donald Trump attended a “peace summit” last year, diplomats warn that the White House’s weak communication strategy threatens bilateral relations.

“Most local outlets blamed the United States and Israel for starting the conflict and for allegedly lacking a clear strategy or goal to end it,” the cable states.

The situation is worse in Indonesia, home to the largest Muslim population in the world, where Tehran is reportedly pursuing “a major influence operation.”

US diplomats believe that if the war continues, cooperation between Washington and Jakarta could be threatened, including Jakarta’s proposal to send troops for the so-called International Stabilization Force in Gaza.

“The most dangerous near-term risk is not that Iranian messaging will be believed wholesale, but that it will amplify existing anti-American sentiment to a degree that constrains President Prabowo’s political room to continue to maneuver on regional security cooperation,” the cable states.