Diplomatic cables indicate that several governments with historical ties to Washington are increasingly concerned about their populations’ growing disdain for the US government
Washington’s reputation has taken a major hit in Muslim-majority nations since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, mainly due to ingenious communication tactics deployed by the Islamic Republic, according to diplomatic cables reviewed by POLITICO.
The cables specifically detail the war’s aftermath in three Muslim countries located in different parts of the world: Bahrain, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia.
“Taken together, the cables paint a picture of countries where the US is losing the population’s trust, and potentially that of their governments,” the DC-based outlet reports.
Since the beginning of the war, Iranian embassies and digital creators have extensively used memes and various tools across multiple online platforms to undermine Washington’s often confusing and aggressive messaging.
In particular, AI-generated satirical videos produced by Iranian digital media company Explosive Media, styled like Lego movies, have consistently gone viral on social media, racking up millions of views.
? Iran-linked accounts are circulating a new LEGO-style propaganda video portraying U.S. and Israeli leaders as corrupt elites tied to the “Epstein files,” part of a broader online campaign aimed at undermining support for the war.
The animation depicts President Donald Trump… pic.twitter.com/PdjcJGrjuy— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) April 9, 2026
The popularity of the videos led YouTube to suspend Explosive Media’s channel for alleged “violent content.”
“Seriously! Are our LEGO-style animations actually violent?” Explosive Media asked via social media following YouTube’s ban.
???? The Iranians are following everything we’re saying on social media
Insane music video ?? pic.twitter.com/vjgNPRlpnj— Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) April 15, 2026
Iranian embassies have also been instrumental in undermining Washington’s justifications for its war of aggression, often poking fun at US government officials and challenging their statements.
The Strait of Hormuz will be controlled by me and the Ayatollah?? pic.twitter.com/IxIgo1Pn6S— Iran Embassy SA (@IraninSA) March 23, 2026
On the other hand, US embassies across the world have “been instructed not to create original content about the Iran war to share publicly and instead are largely limited to reposting approved messaging from the White House or the State Department,” POLITICO reports.
The situation is compounded by US diplomats becoming “afraid to speak up under the Trump administration after it largely sidelined them from key foreign policy decisions, fired numerous members of the Foreign Service and emphasized ‘fidelity’ for those left.”
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