A recent report from the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) details a longstanding Iranian campaign aimed at spreading antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment throughout Western societies, with the broader goal of undermining trust in democratic institutions and sowing division across political and ideological lines. Titled “The War on Western Minds: Iran’s 30-Year Campaign to Divide the West,” the report was released on Wednesday and outlines how Tehran has harnessed antisemitic narratives as a key component of its "soft war" strategy against the West.

The report argues that while Iran cannot match the military capabilities of the United States due to sanctions and other constraints, it has instead focused on ideological and informational influence operations to weaken Western cohesion. Antisemitism, which predates the 1979 Islamic Revolution, is presented as a unifying narrative that crosses ideological divides. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly exploits this by framing Iran as an anti-imperialist force battling what it terms the “Antichrist,” with the regime portraying itself as a nationalist or religious ally against alleged Jewish and Israeli manipulation.

According to the SWC, Iran has played a significant role in popularizing conspiracy theories about Jewish control over American foreign policy, enabling these narratives to become mainstream and resistant to fact-checking. The report compares this approach to Soviet-era disinformation tactics, using “narrative intelligence” to shape public perceptions, assign blame, and target specific audiences through tailored messaging.

For religious Christian audiences, Iran reportedly employs apocalyptic themes and biblical prophecy to portray geopolitical conflicts as spiritual battles against the Antichrist, aiming to diminish the traditional Judeo-Christian alliance underlying American support for Israel. The report also points to Russia’s political philosopher Aleksandr Dugin, who cited religious consultations with Athonite monks in justifying Russia’s 2012 intervention in Syria alongside Iran.

Iran has extended its influence tactics to exploit grievances in diverse communities, including Pan-African movements. The report highlights a 1996 tour by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, whose antisemitic rhetoric was noted as an opportunity Tehran aimed to leverage by positioning itself as a defender of oppressed populations. The 2001 Tehran Declaration, which accused Israel of apartheid and genocide, is cited as an example of Iran’s efforts to combine anti-imperialism, anti-American left-wing activism, and antisemitism in a campaign for international legitimacy.

Iranian media, such as the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar network and the state-funded Press TV launched in 2007, have amplified conspiracy theories and anti-Zionist messaging to Western audiences. Programs like "Zero Degree Turn" are mentioned for attempts to delegitimize Israel by equating Zionism with Nazism while portraying Iran as a rescuer of Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The report names filmmaker Nader Talebzadeh as a key figure in producing emotionally compelling content to influence international viewers.

The report identifies several platforms and personalities within the West that allegedly facilitate or amplify Iranian narratives, including MintPress News, The Grayzone, CODEPINK, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Some of these outlets blend left- and right-wing contributors to mimic independent progressive journalism while reportedly promoting messaging aligned with Iranian interests.

The report warns of the real-world impact of these campaigns, noting that the manifesto of Payton Gendron, the perpetrator of the 2022 Buffalo supermarket massacre, cited Iranian-aligned sources. It also describes sophisticated Iranian influence operations involving fake news websites, fabricated social media personas, and attempts to manipulate platforms such as Wikipedia, thereby influencing AI-driven content and social media algorithms.

In terms of cyber operations, the report references Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center findings that Iranian-linked groups attempted hacking efforts targeting U.S. political campaigns during the 2024 presidential cycle, including spear-phishing attacks aimed at county-level election offices in swing states.

The SWC documented over 340 interconnected influencers, media outlets, and organizations as part of a broader network amplifying Iran’s narratives. Among central figures identified are Aleksandr Dugin, Jackson Hinkle, and Max Blumenthal. The reported six-stage spread of these narratives includes academic delegitimization of Israel, alternative media proliferation, cross-ideological repackaging, campus activism, and conspiracy theorist amplification.

To address these challenges, the report recommends measures such as mandated coordinated-threat disclosures by online platforms, mandatory labeling of AI-generated content, and a congressional review of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to potentially remove immunity protections for foreign adversaries or their proxies involved in disinformation campaigns.