Document Type : .
Authors
1 PhD student in political science, Islamic Azad University, Semnan Branch, Semnan, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Parand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Semnan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Semnan, Iran
Abstract
This article investigates the impact of the Islamic State's (ISIS) media warfare on the national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The study focuses on analyzing official ISIS media content, particularly the Dabiq and Al-Naba publications, to examine how Iran is portrayed as a strategic threat. The primary aim is to identify the discursive patterns and threatening narratives used by ISIS to undermine Iran’s internal stability, political legitimacy, and public cohesion. Employing a qualitative approach and thematic content analysis, the research is based on purposive sampling of ISIS videos, statements, posters, and periodicals produced between 2014 and 2022 that explicitly target Iran. Findings reveal that ISIS depicts Iran as the “apostate regime” and “enemy of Sunni Islam,” using derogatory labels such as “Rafidah” and “Taghut” to delegitimize the religious and political identity of the Iranian state. Through systematic use of social media platforms and visually sophisticated publications like Dabiq and Al-Naba, ISIS attempts to incite sectarian tensions, promote violence against Iranian targets, and challenge the state’s ideological foundations. Ultimately, this form of media warfare poses significant threats to Iran’s social cohesion, political legitimacy, and economic stability.
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