Jean Baudrillard’s concept of simulacra describes representations that evolve from faithful copies of reality.

They eventually become self-referential simulations.

This process culminates in hyperreality where the distinction between real and simulated collapses.

This framework applies insightfully to Iran’s Islamic Republic, where state propaganda creates hyperreal narratives that mask repression and sustain power.wikipedia+3

Baudrillard’s Four Stages

Baudrillard outlines four phases of the image. The first is the reflection of basic reality.

The second phase involves the perversion or distortion of reality. The third phase is masking the absence of reality. The fourth phase is pure simulacrum with no relation to any reality.

Iranian media often reaches stages 3 and 4. It fabricates threats like foreign conspiracies during protests. This approach obscures genuine economic grievances and dissent.stanford+3

Protests and Media Control

In the 2025–2026 Iranian uprisings, an economic crisis sparked nationwide protests. The state broadcaster IRIB aired coerced confessions and edited footage. This was done to simulate “terrorism” or “foreign plots.” These actions masked absent threats and justified crackdowns.

Internet blackouts created “silence vacuums.” These vacuums were filled with hyperreal reframings of protesters as enemies. This scenario echoed Baudrillard’s Gulf War as a mediated “non-event.” washisngton

Foreign Policy Narratives

Iran’s regime deploys anti-imperialist rhetoric to defend internal suppression of minorities like Kurds and Baluch.

They simulate progressive solidarity while exploiting Western guilt. This fourth-order simulacrum detaches signs like “human rights” from reality, prioritizing self-interest.wikipedia+1

Cultural Simulations

State media produces anti-Semitic content like the series Zahra’s Blue Eyes. They fabricate Israeli organ-harvesting plots. This is done to simulate enmity and unify domestically in self-referential loops.

In contrast, artist Azadeh Akhlaghi’s staged photographs recreate historical deaths, challenging official narratives through hyperreal “copies without originals.”newindianexpress+2

Electoral Spectacles

Iranian elections feature pre-vetted candidates, coerced turnout, and manipulated results, simulating democracy while masking absent choice and legitimizing theocracy.[iranintl]​

Countering Hyperreality

Organizations like HRANA document violations through statistical reports, exposing simulations via grounded evidence to foster epistemic resistance. This aligns with countering “semantic terrorism,” where propaganda inverts meanings to erode shared reality, by reclaiming truth-oriented narratives.hrana

Hassaniyan, A. (2024). The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Multipronged Approach to the Repression of Kurds. Contemporary Review of the Middle East, 11(3), 292-315. https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989241258897 (Original work published 2024