Mehdi Zolfaghari, PhD: Iran’s story must be told by Iranians themselves

In an interview with Mizan, Mehdi Zolfaghari, PhD condemned the recent Zionist regime’s aggression against Iran and stated: “The patterns of war and conflict in the international system have evolved, with the most notable shift being the focus on cognitive warfare and mental perception. In this context, we must concentrate on factual storytelling and countering false narratives. One key reason for our emphasis on language learning is the pivotal role of language in advancing cognitive struggles in today’s world. If we fail to communicate our power and resilience to the global public, our enemies will provide an alternate — and even distorted — version of that narrative. Therefore, we must act actively, assertively, and even innovatively in this arena.”

This senior analyst in international relations further added: “Focusing on cognitive elements and strengthening our nation’s power and authority in both military and regional arenas go hand in hand. The value of public diplomacy and speaking directly to global public opinion is more evident now than ever before. The broader and more assertive our narrative capacity becomes, the more secure our victories will be in various battlegrounds.”