Abstract
This study aims to examine the role of domestic media in legitimizing the efficiency of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with a specific focus on foreign policy power, through the lens of the Hypodermic Needle Theory. The central question is how state-affiliated media represent elements of power in foreign policy to contribute to the perception of political efficiency and legitimacy. The hypothesis suggests that media, by reinforcing discourses of resistance and national strength, help shape public opinion to support the regime’s performance. This research adopts a qualitative content analysis method with an inductive approach. The statistical population consists of all domestic media reports related to Iranian foreign policy, with a purposive sample of 30 selected news items from official agencies such as ISNA, Fars, Mehr, Tasnim, Tabnak, and Mashregh News. Findings reveal that media emphasize themes such as national security, regional influence, and dignity-oriented diplomacy to construct a narrative of governmental efficiency in foreign policy. The study concludes that these media narratives function as mechanisms of performance-based legitimacy, consistent with the assumptions of the Hypodermic Needle Theory.
Keywords: Legitimacy, efficiency, authority, domestic media, foreign policy, content analysis, hypodermic needle theory
 
Introduction
In modern political systems, legitimacy and efficiency are essential foundations of regime survival. In ideologically based states like the Islamic Republic of Iran, the persistence of power relies not only on religious or legal foundations but increasingly on performance legitimacy. Foreign policy represents one of the most visible arenas for showcasing such efficiency. As ideological legitimacy may be challenged by economic or generational crises, the regime seeks to reinforce its image through narratives of strength, independence, and diplomatic success. Media play a central role in crafting these narratives. The Hypodermic Needle Theory (or Magic Bullet Theory) assumes that media messages can directly and powerfully shape public attitudes and behaviors without significant resistance. This theoretical framework is particularly relevant in state-run media environments, where centralized narratives dominate. The current study investigates how domestic Iranian media use foreign policy achievements to reinforce the political system’s image as effective and legitimate.
 
Methods and Materials
This study employs a qualitative content analysis approach with an inductive framework. The statistical population consists of all domestic news content related to Iranian foreign policy published in national media outlets. The sample includes 30 purposively selected news articles from a range of news agencies, including ISNA, Fars, Mehr, Tasnim, Tabnak, and others. The selection criteria were based on relevance to key themes of power, foreign policy, and legitimacy. The analysis process involved coding main and secondary themes and identifying how these themes contribute to the narrative of efficiency and legitimacy. The data were processed through thematic analysis, focusing on conceptual clusters such as national security, regional influence, diplomacy, and public support. Reliability was ensured through independent coding and reviewer validation.
 
Results and Discussion
The findings of the content analysis reveal that domestic media systematically highlight three dominant thematic clusters: security-based power, regional influence and diplomacy, and people-centered legitimacy. These themes are presented repeatedly and uniformly across media outlets, often using language that evokes strength, dignity, and moral superiority. For example, news items frequently describe Iran as a regional power that resists external domination, supports oppressed nations, and maintains an independent foreign policy. Messages such as 'Iran has become a key regional player,' 'The world has acknowledged Iran’s power,' and 'Diplomacy based on dignity is the foundation of national authority' were common across the sample. These representations align with the core premises of the Hypodermic Needle Theory, wherein repeated and authoritative messaging aims to shape public perceptions directly. The media also reinforce the image of a state whose power is rooted in popular support and moral clarity. Importantly, the study reveals limited coverage of criticism, policy failure, or international isolation. This one-sided portrayal underlines the instrumental role of media in shaping perceptions rather than reflecting pluralistic debate.
 
Conclusion
This study highlights how domestic Iranian media function as a core tool in reinforcing the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic by projecting the efficiency of its foreign policy. Grounded in the Hypodermic Needle Theory, these media messages aim to influence public opinion directly by repeatedly emphasizing the state’s security, independence, regional strength, and people-oriented governance. In environments where ideological legitimacy may be contested due to internal challenges, performance legitimacy—particularly through foreign policy achievements—becomes critical. The findings indicate that media narratives strategically fill this gap, ensuring that the government’s diplomatic performance is interpreted as a symbol of its overall functionality and justification for continued authority. In doing so, media act not only as transmitters of information but as architects of political perception and tools of legitimacy construction.