Network linked to Israel seeks influence on international Iran protests

Al Jazeera Investigation Reveals Coordinated Campaign Behind #FreeThePersianPeople Hashtag

A recent investigation by Al Jazeera has uncovered a coordinated campaign involving Israeli officials and suspicious accounts that hijacked the #FreeThePersianPeople hashtag during protests in Iranian cities. The campaign, which trended on X, featured a large number of posts claiming an imminent “decisive moment” in Iran’s history and presenting themselves as the authentic voice of the Iranian people.

According to Al Jazeera’s data analysis, the digital campaign did not originate organically from within Iran. Instead, it was spearheaded by external networks primarily linked to Israel or pro-Israel circles. The investigation found that 94 percent of the 4,370 posts analyzed were retweets, with only a negligible percentage of original content coming from accounts producing new material.

The data also revealed a significant gap between the limited number of sources and the vast reach of the campaign, characteristic of coordinated influence operations known as “astroturfing”. The hashtag was not merely an expression of social or economic grievances but carried a rigid political framework designed to reframe and amplify unrest. The discourse portrayed developments inside Iran as a “moment of collapse” and relied on sharp binaries.

The campaign heavily promoted Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, as the sole political alternative. Israeli officials, including Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, participated directly in the campaign, posting tweets that were widely circulated within the hashtag’s network.

The investigation found that the campaign’s primary goal was to reframe the protests as a conflict against religion rather than against economic mismanagement and political repression. The use of this reframed narrative allowed for the amplification of specific geopolitical goals.

Source: Al Jazeera