Iran's messaging continues to be exceptional throughout the war, and for the first time in a long time it feels like Iranian perspectives are widely known and often appreciated even in the west.

I'm fascinated to see this: "And to those who follow no formal religion but hold deeply to the universal values of peace, justice, and human dignity:"

It aligns with the tolerant, inclusive tone I've been seeing from their official messaging and through non-official channels like Prof. Marandi and others. I've also yet to see any anti-LGBTQ insults from any of these channels, it's been helping people get past their preconceptions about Iran and about Muslims in general to engage with the core messages. They often address the western public too, appreciate the pro-palestine, anti-zionist movements and protests, and draw a distinction between Zionists and Jews.

I'm impressed at how they've shaped all this and I admit, my opinion of the Iranian system as it stands now has gone up although of course I can never fully support a non-socialist theocracy. The Islamic revolution has mellowed out significantly compared to the early years and has shown flexibility and the ability to prioritize the needs of the general public and to make good strategic moves.