Transcript [00:00] So, I've been saying since the beginning [00:01] of the war [00:03] repeatedly [00:04] that [00:05] what the Iranian regime, what the [00:08] Islamic regime in Tehran fears most is [00:10] the Iranian people. [00:12] And uh you know, they they fear them [00:15] rising up. That's their number one fear. [00:18] And what I want to do in this video is I [00:19] want to show you three news items from [00:22] the last week [00:24] plus one story that ran during the first [00:27] week of the war that connects to it that [00:29] show us a window into how the regime is [00:33] uh is working very hard to salvage some [00:37] component of the population that they [00:39] fear has turned on them. Meaning that [00:41] they're actually running an op on the [00:43] Iranian people. Uh you know, trying to [00:46] uh present themselves as the defenders [00:48] of Persian culture, which is an [00:50] absurdity on its face but that's what [00:53] they're trying to do. And you can see [00:54] this this op being run in these stories [00:57] that I'm going to show you. And we [00:59] shouldn't think that it has no that has [01:02] no real impact, that it's a complete [01:03] failure. [01:05] Because [01:06] you know, we have to think very we have [01:08] to have a clear-eyed understanding of [01:10] Iranian of the Iranian people. [01:13] When people in the West think about [01:15] Iranian society, they tend to think in [01:17] binary terms. There's the regime and [01:20] then there's the opposition. There's the [01:21] loyalists and there's the [01:23] revolutionaries, but that's not exactly [01:24] how it works. Iranian society, like any [01:26] society and it's a large one, is a [01:28] spectrum. Of course, there are the [01:30] hardcore regime loyalists, the IRGC [01:33] families, the Basij, the the [01:35] bureaucratic class, the true believers. [01:38] And yes, there are people who despise [01:39] the regime completely and want nothing [01:41] to do with it and want nothing to do [01:42] with Islam. But in between those two [01:44] poles, there are millions of Iranians [01:46] who are somewhere in the middle. They [01:48] hate the Islamic Republic's oppression [01:49] and corruption. But they might also be [01:52] devout Shiites, even though they don't [01:54] agree with everything that the regime is [01:56] doing and they don't even or they're [01:57] more moderate Shiites. Think about all [01:59] the bizarre shop owners who started who [02:02] were really the catalyst that started [02:04] all the protests in in December and [02:06] January. A lot of them were people who [02:08] had been pro-regime, but they just [02:09] weren't happy with the economic collapse [02:11] of the country and saw that as [02:13] corruption, but that doesn't mean that [02:14] they're opposed to everything else the [02:15] regime does. So, you have this spectrum. [02:18] And many, many of the Iranians, a huge [02:21] percentage of Iranians have great pride [02:23] in being Persian, in Persian [02:26] civilization, in Persian history, in [02:28] Persian identity. These are people who [02:30] aren't necessarily ready to [02:33] you know, to you know, to fight, [02:37] but they care deeply about who they are [02:38] as a people. [02:40] And that's the segment of Iranian [02:42] society that the regime is targeting [02:44] right now. They're talking to them right [02:45] now. And I'm going to show you the [02:47] evidence. So, there are four stories. [02:48] They all ran in the regime's media. And [02:50] let's remember, the English language [02:51] media they put out is generally most of [02:55] it is just translations of stories that [02:57] they run in the Persian. [02:59] Um that and and they put them out there. [03:01] So, these are stories that ran in [03:03] Persian to the to the Iranian people as [03:05] well. The first story we're going to [03:06] look at is from the first week of the [03:08] war. It's It's uh [03:10] It's from March 3rd, right at the very [03:12] beginning of the war. And I'm using it [03:14] to set up the other stories. [03:19] Okay, so here's the first story. Air [03:21] strike on Tehran [03:23] damages [03:25] Golestan Palace, [03:27] a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [03:30] In a nighttime attack by the United [03:32] States and Israel on Arg Square in [03:34] central Tehran, parts of Golestan [03:37] Palace, the capital's only UNESCO World [03:39] Heritage Site, were damaged. This was [03:42] reported by and it says who reported it, [03:44] this correspondent from Sputnik. [03:46] Golestan Palace is a historic complex of [03:48] buildings and gardens whose construction [03:50] dates back to the reign of Shah Tahmasb, [03:53] the first of the Safavid dynasty. During [03:56] the Zand period, the palace briefly [03:57] served as the residence of Karim Khan, [04:00] and in the Qajar era, it was extensively [04:02] expanded to accommodate the royal family [04:04] in the new capital. During the Pahlavi [04:06] era, that's right before [04:08] the the the Islamists took power in late [04:11] '70s, the during the Pahlavi era, the [04:14] palace was used for official ceremonies [04:16] and to host presidents and distinguished [04:18] foreign guests. And it was inscribed as [04:21] a UNESCO World Heritage Site by July [04:23] 2013. Now, look at this picture. [04:27] This is the palace after [04:30] the airstrike. A view of debris at the [04:32] historical monument Golestan Palace [04:34] following an Israeli and US airstrike on [04:37] the Justice Building in the area. [04:40] So, the Justice Building was struck amid [04:42] the US-Israel conflict with with Iran in [04:44] Tehran. Okay. [04:46] Now, extent of the damage and officials' [04:48] response. The blast waves from the [04:50] Sunday night attack caused damage to [04:51] sections of the palace, including its [04:54] wooden doors, [04:55] orosi, which are traditional Persian [04:57] windows, it says here, and parts of the [04:59] mirror work. [05:01] Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri, Minister of [05:03] Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and [05:04] Handicrafts, confirmed the damages on [05:07] March 2nd, and he says that it's a [05:09] violation of international law. Museum [05:11] artifacts from Golestan Palace [05:14] were previously moved to secure storage [05:16] following the 12-day war and the [05:18] incidents of of January 20 26, the [05:20] protests, and they were not affected in [05:23] the recent airstrike and remain in a [05:25] safe location. [05:27] Now, look at the damage. [05:29] These doors are intact. [05:31] I mean, the windows are are still [05:32] intact, the walls are intact. [05:35] There's some debris on the floor. [05:38] Most of the windows are still intact [05:40] here. [05:41] Okay, that's the the Golestan Palace [05:44] attack, and this is on on the third day [05:46] of the war. [05:47] This was the front page headline [05:50] in Iranian regime media. [05:54] Okay, so why am I bringing this up? [05:59] Notice that it says here [06:01] in the caption to that picture that I [06:03] read that it's a view of debris at the [06:05] historical monument Golestan Palace [06:07] following an Israeli and US strike on [06:11] the Justice Building. [06:13] The Justice Building was struck. [06:15] A precision strike on a government [06:17] building nearby. The blast waves from [06:19] that strike caused some collateral [06:20] damage to the palace, I guess. [06:23] Uh the museum artifacts were safe. Now, [06:25] why does the regime make make this the [06:27] top story on the third day of the war? [06:30] Because it was only lightly damaged [06:32] anyway. There were much bigger military [06:34] and political stories to cover at the [06:35] time. Because it was not a news story. [06:38] It is messaging. And the message is, [06:40] your heritage is under attack, your [06:41] Persian heritage, your civilization is [06:43] under attack, and we, the Islamic [06:45] Republic, are defending it. So, hold [06:47] that thought, cuz we're going to come [06:49] back to this in a few minutes, and [06:50] you're going to see what they've done [06:52] with this story since then, okay? So, [06:56] story number two, this is from 2 days [06:58] ago. Tehran launches restoration of [07:02] war-damaged historic sites. [07:06] Tehran city officials [07:10] Okay, Tehran Let me go back here. Sorry, [07:12] Tehran city officials have announced the [07:14] start of damage assessments and [07:16] emergency restoration work for [07:18] historical landmarks affected during the [07:21] recent conflict as authorities [07:24] simultaneously push forward cultural and [07:27] tourism initiatives across the Iranian [07:30] capital. [07:31] Golestan Palace, the only UNESCO World [07:33] Heritage Site in Tehran, is among the [07:36] locations reportedly damaged during the [07:38] attacks. Okay, we just talked about [07:40] Golestan Palace. [07:42] Municipal officials describe the strikes [07:44] as deliberate, [07:47] accusing the United States and Israel of [07:48] targeting culturally significant sites. [07:52] Saeed Ahmadi Alavi, a member of Tehran [07:53] City Council and head of its tourism [07:55] committee, said emergency restoration [07:57] plans and funding allocations for [07:59] damaged heritage buildings in districts [08:01] 1, 11, and 12 are now at top priority. [08:03] According to him, several historic and [08:06] cultural sites sustained damage during [08:08] what he called intentional attacks, [08:11] prompting the municipality to accelerate [08:13] preservation efforts. [08:15] Alavi also said cultural, social, and [08:18] tourism programs have taken on greater [08:20] importance under Iran's current [08:22] circumstances, particularly in [08:24] neighborhoods most affected by the [08:25] conflict. He noted that Tehran's [08:28] municipality aims to increase public [08:29] presence in urban spaces through [08:32] recreational events, cultural [08:34] programming, and expanded public [08:36] activities in an effort to strengthen [08:37] social cohesion. Now, this paragraph [08:40] contains some actual, [08:43] what I would call, [08:45] gold. [08:46] Pure [08:47] gold. [08:50] Okay? Pure gold. Watch this. [08:53] As part of these efforts, several [08:56] large-scale urban projects, including [08:58] the Harazat Zar Garden Walkway, the [09:01] Farazad River Valley Development, and [09:03] the Alborz Lashgarak Tourism Project are [09:06] being promoted as symbols of [09:08] reconstruction and urban renewal. [09:11] Remember, people can't eat right now in [09:12] Tehran. They don't have water or [09:14] electricity. [09:16] Restoration work is also underway on a [09:18] number of historic houses associated [09:20] with prominent Iranian figures, [09:23] including properties linked to former [09:26] statesman [09:28] and renowned poet and filmmaker [09:31] Farrokh [09:32] Farrokhzad. [09:36] Remember that name. We'll get to that in [09:37] a moment. This is absolute gold. When [09:39] you figure when you learn who Farrokh [09:41] Farrokhzad is. [09:43] Let's just finish the the piece. During [09:45] a conference in Tehran titled tourism [09:47] and cultural heritage resilience during [09:49] wartime, officials and heritage experts [09:52] said the conflict caused extensive [09:53] damage to historical sites across the [09:55] country. Alavi Alavi stated that more [09:57] than 60 heritage sites in Tehran and [10:00] around 155 nationwide were damaged [10:03] during the 12-day war. [10:08] He further claimed that the strike on [10:09] Golestan Palace was specifically [10:11] intended to undermine symbols of Iranian [10:14] history and identity. [10:16] Located in Tehran's historic center, the [10:18] palace complex is one of the country's [10:19] most important Qajar era landmarks and [10:22] attracts thousands of domestic and [10:23] international visitors every year. [10:29] All right, we don't we don't have to [10:30] finish the every word of the piece. It [10:31] just goes on to say more things that [10:33] some officials said about this. [10:36] Now, [10:37] in March, the palace was incidentally [10:39] damaged by a blast wave from a strike on [10:42] the justice building nearby. [10:44] Remember that? That's what happened on [10:46] March 2nd. The regime's own caption said [10:49] that. [10:50] Now in May, the same strike has become [10:53] in the words of the city councilman [10:54] deliberate. A deliberate attack intended [10:56] to undermine symbols of Iranian history [10:59] and identity. Now think of what that [11:00] claim requires you to believe. [11:03] That the United States [11:05] and Israel [11:07] The United States and Israel [11:10] Think of those two militaries. [11:12] Arguably the most precise weapon systems [11:15] on Earth. [11:17] That they chose to target a UNESCO World [11:19] Heritage Site [11:21] but didn't cause much damage to it. [11:25] I mean, the whole thing is absurd. [11:29] And it's absurd on its face, but it's [11:30] not meant to be believed analytically. [11:32] It's meant to be felt by Persian people. [11:34] It's meant to reach that Iranian who [11:36] loves Persian history, who has mixed [11:38] feelings about the whole about the whole [11:40] war. [11:41] Who visited Golestan Palace, who learned [11:43] about Qajar history in school, and make [11:45] them feel that something precious to [11:47] them is being attacked by the Americans. [11:50] And notice something else in the story. [11:52] 60 heritage sites damaged in Tehran, 155 [11:56] nationwide. [11:58] A conference titled tourism and cultural [12:00] heritage resilience during wartime. [12:03] They're building an entire institutional [12:05] narrative around this. [12:07] This is not one story. This is This is a [12:09] campaign. [12:11] Now, I want to get back to that detail [12:12] in the story that I that I highlighted. [12:15] That I told you to remember that name. [12:17] That among the historic properties being [12:20] restored, [12:21] it specifically mentions [12:23] um [12:24] homes of former important people [12:26] including Farrokh Farrokhzad. [12:30] Let me tell you who Farrokh Farrokhzad [12:31] is for those who don't know. She is one [12:33] of the most celebrated poets in all of [12:35] Persian literature. [12:37] She was also a modernist. [12:40] She was a feminist. She lived in the [12:42] 20th century. [12:43] She was an iconoclast who wrote openly [12:46] and unapologetically about female [12:48] desire, about female independence, about [12:51] freedom. She left her husband, she lost [12:54] custody of her son because she refused [12:55] to conform. She had a public love [12:57] affair. [12:59] She made movies, she died in a car [13:01] accident at 32 years old, and left [13:03] behind a body of work that the regime [13:06] has been has been suppressing for the [13:08] last 47 years. She was a feminist a [13:11] feminist [13:13] author who was very public about her her [13:16] her flaunting [13:18] of the strict morality rules of the [13:21] culture. [13:24] Everything she stood for is a direct [13:26] affront to their ideology. [13:28] The Islamic Republic is now saying that [13:31] they're restoring Forough Farrokhzad's [13:33] house. [13:34] Just think about that for a moment. This [13:36] is the same regime that runs morality [13:38] police, the same regime that arrests [13:40] women for not wearing a hijab. [13:43] They've been systematically trying to [13:44] erase exactly the kind of modern, [13:46] liberated, secular Persian cultural [13:49] identity that that Farrokhzad embodied. [13:52] And now they're that you know, they're [13:54] protecting it. It's quite something. [13:56] But she's beloved by the people. [13:58] So if you needed one single image to [14:00] capture the cynicism of what they're [14:02] doing right now, the naked, shameless [14:04] attempt to wrap themselves in a Persian [14:07] cultural identity that they've actively [14:10] suppressed and persecuted, this is it. [14:12] Restoring Forough Farrokhzad's house [14:14] just says it all. Okay, story number [14:16] three. [14:19] And these two are short. The next two [14:20] are very short. [14:22] Attacks on cultural sites reflect [14:24] hostility toward Iran identity. [14:27] President, that's what So this is from [14:29] May 9th from from just under a week ago [14:32] in Tasnim, [14:34] the IRGC media outlet. [14:36] During a visit to damaged sections of [14:38] the Sadabad cultural and historical [14:41] complex in Tehran, Iranian President [14:43] Masoud Pezeshkian [14:45] condemned attacks on cultural heritage [14:47] as a violation of international norms [14:49] and a hostile act against nation's [14:52] civilizational identity. During his [14:54] visit, President Pezeshkian [14:56] reviewed the latest reports on the [14:58] damage inflicted on the complex during [15:00] recent during the recent war imposed by [15:02] the United States and the Israeli [15:03] regime. He stressed the importance of [15:05] protecting Iran's historical, cultural, [15:07] and national heritage, saying that [15:09] assaults on such sites go beyond [15:11] physical destruction and target the [15:13] identity of and memory of a nation. [15:16] Officials also presented a report on the [15:18] extent of the damage, particularly to [15:20] the Jamhuri building, which has hosted [15:22] high-level meetings of senior foreign [15:24] dignitaries, cooperation agreement [15:26] signings, joint sessions of political [15:28] and economic delegations, and press [15:30] conferences with presidents and other [15:31] foreign officials. Emphasizing the need [15:33] to preserve and restore the country's [15:35] historical, cultural, and diplomatic [15:37] assets, the president ordered the [15:39] immediate launch of restoration, [15:41] reconstruction, and repair operations. [15:43] Remember, they have no money for food [15:45] right now. [15:46] Peseschkian also called for the [15:48] documentation, registration, and legal [15:50] pursuit of the damage to Iran's cultural [15:52] and historical sites through [15:54] international forums and mechanisms. [15:57] Okay, so another story on the [15:58] restoration of sites. [16:02] Now, I want to make sure you appreciate [16:03] the full irony of what you just heard. [16:04] Saadabad is a royal palace complex. [16:07] That's where he visited, the Saadabad [16:09] complex. It is a royal palace complex [16:12] built by the Qajar and Pahlavi [16:14] dynasties. [16:15] It was the Shah's summer residence. The [16:18] Islamic Republic spent the first decade [16:20] of its existence denouncing everything [16:22] the Pahlavi monarchy represented. The [16:24] Shah was a tyrant, he was a Western [16:26] puppet, an enemy of Islam. That was the [16:28] founding narrative of the regime. And [16:31] now the president of the Islamic [16:32] Republic is personally visiting the [16:34] Shah's palace to express outrage that it [16:36] was damaged. He's wrapping himself in [16:39] the Pahlavi legacy that he that he [16:41] inherited power by destroying. [16:45] So, what does that tell you? It tells [16:46] you It tells you how desperate the pivot [16:49] that they're making now is. The regime [16:51] is reaching for any symbol of Persian [16:53] civilizational pride, [16:55] even symbols it spent 47 years trying to [16:58] suppress and destroy and condemn, [17:01] because it needs to speak to that [17:03] segment of Iranian society that [17:05] identifies as Persian first. These are [17:07] people who in their rejection of the [17:09] regime [17:11] have also been rediscovering their [17:13] Persian identity. [17:15] Remember, [17:16] during the protests, people were burning [17:18] mosques. [17:20] People were chanting the name of Cyrus [17:21] the Great, [17:23] who lived thousands of years ago. [17:25] They There's an increased identification [17:27] with Zoroastrianism, [17:30] the original religion of the Persian [17:32] people. [17:33] The regime is looking at that [17:35] constituency and trying to [17:38] pull some of them back, saying, "We're [17:39] on your side. We're Persians, too." Now, [17:43] I doubt anyone's buying it. [17:45] But that's not what this video is not [17:47] about them being successful in this [17:48] campaign. It's about the campaign that [17:50] they are running. Fourth and final [17:52] story, also from Tasnim. Here we go. [17:55] And this is a This is just gorgeous. [17:57] This is from today. [17:58] Leader praises Persian language. This is [18:01] literally the top story, by the way, on [18:03] Tasnim today, or it was when I logged in [18:05] last. Leader praises Persian language as [18:08] pillar of Iranian Islamic civilization. [18:14] In a message marking the national Here [18:15] we go. Leader of the Islamic [18:16] Revolutionary Ayatollah Sayyid Mujtaba [18:18] Khamenei praised the Persian language [18:20] and literature as a major capacity for [18:23] promoting the rich culture and [18:25] civilization of Islamic Iran across the [18:27] world. [18:29] In a message marking the national day of [18:31] commemoration of Abul Qasim Ferdowsi and [18:35] the Persian language preservation day, [18:38] Ayatollah Sayyid Mujtaba Khamenei [18:39] described the Persian language as more [18:42] than a means of speech and writing, [18:43] saying it constitutes the framework of [18:45] understanding, the bond connecting [18:48] thought, and the identity boundaries of [18:50] Iranians. The leader said, "Persian [18:52] language and literature represent one of [18:53] the greatest capacities for spreading [18:56] the rich culture and civilization of [18:57] Islamic Iran globally." And referred to [19:00] the recommendation of late leader of the [19:02] Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyid Ali [19:04] Khamenei regarding strengthening the [19:06] Persian language as a guiding light for [19:08] the power of Iranian Islamic [19:10] civilization. [19:12] The leader stated that during the third [19:13] sacred defense, just as in the two [19:15] previous imposed wars, the Iranian [19:17] nation proved that Ferdowsi's epic [19:19] stories reflected the reality of their [19:21] lives and heroic character. According to [19:24] the message, the human-building [19:26] courageous and Quranic concepts of the [19:29] Shahnameh unite all ethnic groups and [19:31] social classes in Iran, preserving their [19:34] identity, authenticity, and [19:35] independence, and in confronting [19:37] aggressors likened to Zahhak. [19:40] Ayatollah Khamenei said the epic of [19:41] participation, defense, and victory [19:44] places a major responsibility on [19:46] cultural, literary, and artistic figures [19:48] to rise like Ferdowsi and align the [19:51] mission of artists with the mission of [19:54] the people. [19:55] He called on cultural activists to [19:57] combine thought, pen, language, and art [20:00] in order to immortalize the nation's [20:03] great uprising in history. [20:06] The leader further stated that the [20:07] courageous resistance and proud victory [20:10] against demonic aggressors and the [20:12] devils of the world has made the Iranian [20:14] nation more prepared to safeguard its [20:16] civilizational independence and confront [20:18] linguistic, cultural, and American [20:21] lifestyle influences. He added that [20:23] through the initiative and innovation of [20:25] cultural activists in strengthening [20:27] linguistic and discourse defense and [20:30] fostering the growth of children, [20:31] adolescents, and youth, the nation would [20:33] continue the remaining stages toward [20:36] final victory with greater [20:37] steadfastness. [20:39] So, top story in Tasnim, in the middle [20:42] of everything else going on, is that the [20:44] Persian leader is praising the Persian [20:46] language. [20:48] Okay. [20:50] I want to dwell on one phrase here [20:52] because it's doing an enormous amount of [20:54] work. [20:55] Khamenei calls the Persian language a [20:57] pillar of, and it's in the headline, a [20:59] pillar of [21:00] Iranian Islamic civilization, [21:03] hyphenated, Iranian Islamic. [21:06] That hyphen, that's the whole game right [21:08] here. Because here's the reality that [21:10] every Iranian actually knows. For most [21:11] Iranians, especially young Iranians, [21:14] Iranian and Islamic are not two words [21:16] that belong together with a hyphen. [21:20] They're in opposition to each other [21:21] right now for many for a huge percentage [21:24] of Iranians. Islam was imposed on Persia [21:28] by Arab conquest in the 7th century. [21:32] Let me say that again. Arabs conquered [21:35] Persia and imposed Islam on it in the [21:37] 7th century. That's not fringe [21:39] revisionism. That's the history and [21:41] millions of Iranians know that. [21:43] I I I I made a video near the beginning [21:46] of the war [21:47] uh where I showed an Iranian girl who [21:50] was talking about [21:52] how Islam was forced on Iranian people. [21:57] And that sentiment is is quite [21:59] widespread. [22:01] So when Khamenei stands up and says that [22:03] Persian language is a pillar of Iranian [22:05] Islamic civilization, he's attempting [22:07] something very specific. He's trying to [22:10] tell this middle mushy middle of [22:12] Iranians, you don't have to choose [22:13] between your Persian identity and your [22:16] allegiance to the regime. They're the [22:18] same. We are the expression of both. [22:21] And notice who he invokes to make this [22:22] argument, this guy Ferdowsi. Okay, and [22:25] this the event that uh that he spoke at [22:28] what was uh [22:31] a commemoration and national day of [22:32] commemoration of Abul-Qasem Ferdowsi [22:35] and the Persian language. Okay, so who's [22:37] Ferdowsi? [22:39] Who is this guy? [22:41] So Ferdowsi is one of the most revered [22:43] figures in all of Persian history. [22:46] He's a poet who essentially saved the [22:49] Persian language. [22:50] Okay, he lived I think in the in the [22:51] 10th or 11th century. [22:54] He's a poet who essentially saved the [22:56] Persian language after the Arab conquest [22:58] by writing [23:00] a book called The Book of Kings, the [23:02] Shahnameh. [23:03] In pure Persian without Arabic. [23:07] This is after This is a couple centuries [23:08] after the Arab conquest. [23:10] So, he's a symbol of Persian cultural [23:14] cultural resistance to Arabization. [23:18] That's what Ferdowsi symbolizes. That's [23:20] what he's the icon of in Persian [23:22] culture. His entire legacy is about [23:24] preserving Persian identity against [23:27] Islamic cultural imperialism. [23:30] So, the irony of his of an Islamist [23:32] regime invoking Ferdowsi to legitimize [23:35] itself [23:37] it it's almost too much to process. It's [23:39] like the [23:40] It's like what I It's like what they did [23:42] with um [23:44] with what's-her-name [23:45] with that that actress. [23:50] I forgot her name now. I was just [23:51] talking about her a minute ago. [23:53] Right? Farrokh um [23:57] What was her name? [23:58] Farrokh? [23:59] Farrokhzad? Farrokhzad? [24:05] So, think about the irony of this. [24:07] It's like the regime is counting on [24:08] people not knowing their own history. [24:11] But, Iranians do know their own history. [24:13] That's That's the problem the regime [24:14] has. So, let's zoom out and look at what [24:16] we have here. Those are the stories I [24:17] wanted to share with you. Now, let's [24:19] talk about them as a group. [24:22] Okay? [24:24] Talk about them as a group. [24:28] Over the course of about a week and a [24:30] half or week or so, we see the all these [24:32] stories. [24:33] The regime's media apparatus is is been [24:36] running this sustained coordinated [24:38] campaign [24:39] built around this idea that Persian [24:41] civilization is under attack and that [24:43] the Islamic Republic is defending it. [24:46] The president visits damaged palaces, [24:48] the supreme leader praises the Persian [24:50] language, the official news agency [24:52] mentions this new campaign of [24:54] restoration announcing all these [24:55] restoration projects, tallying the [24:59] damage of heritage sites. [25:02] They're restoring the home of a feminist [25:04] poet that they spent decades denouncing. [25:08] This is not aimed at hardcore opponents [25:10] of the regime, right? They're not [25:11] persuadable. [25:13] It's also not aimed at their core [25:14] loyalists. They don't need persuading [25:16] and they're just true believers. It's [25:18] aimed at the middle, at the millions of [25:20] Iranians who are somewhere on the [25:21] spectrum [25:22] who have genuine Persian pride. They [25:25] might be you know, they they might [25:28] they're probably also Muslim. Most of [25:29] the vast majority of people there are [25:31] still Muslim [25:32] in at least in in background. [25:37] Okay, so you have these they have [25:38] Persian pride. They're still [25:40] Muslim. They might be ambivalent about [25:43] whether the regime whether regime change [25:45] is worth the chaos and the uncertainty. [25:49] People who can be made to feel that the [25:51] real threat to their identity is coming [25:53] from the outside, from America and [25:55] Israel attacking Persian identity rather [25:57] than from the Islamic Republic that has [26:00] been destroying their culture for years. [26:03] Will it work? I don't think so, not on [26:05] most people. The regime has spent four [26:07] and a half decades burning its [26:08] credibility with the Iranian population. [26:11] So you don't recover that with a few [26:12] stories about Persian culture and [26:15] restoring palaces. But the fact that [26:17] they're trying this play tells you [26:20] something important about where they [26:21] are. [26:22] Right? They they um [26:24] they're invoking Ferdowsi. They're [26:27] restoring Farrokh Farrokhzad's house. [26:30] They're visiting the Shah's palace. [26:32] They're calling a precision strike on [26:34] the justice building [26:38] where there was some collateral debris [26:42] on the on a palace. They're calling it a [26:44] deliberate strike on a Persian palace. [26:47] These are all This all tells you that [26:48] they're genuinely worried about that [26:50] middle segment of the population and [26:53] they should be. [26:54] So, that's what I wanted to share today. [26:55] Please like, share, subscribe, do all [26:56] that great stuff and make sure that [26:58] you're plugged in to everything we're [26:59] doing at Israel 365, especially very [27:02] simple, Israel 365 YouTube channel. A [27:05] lot of my content goes up there as well. [27:06] So, if you if you want more of what I'm [27:08] doing, you want especially interviews, [27:10] we just posted another interview with [27:12] with Dr. David Wurmser about the about [27:14] the Middle East [27:16] and uh we got into some very important [27:17] topics there. You can go find that [27:18] video. I think it was posted yesterday. [27:21] Uh but that's it. That's it for today. [27:23] So, thank you very much for helping grow [27:25] the channel. Thanks for sharing, [27:26] subscribing, liking, all that great [27:28] stuff and please spread the word. God [27:30] bless.
