00:00Has Iran really released a hit list of world leaders?
00:04Is this an official declaration from Tehran or is it something else altogether?
00:09There was another list came out yesterday and I'm number one on,
00:13I like being number one on TikTok better, but I'm number one on the list for killing.
00:20An online graphic published by an Iranian newspaper Hamshahri
00:24has triggered headlines across the world.
00:26It features some of the most powerful political leaders from US President Donald Trump
00:31and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to several European leaders.
00:35The publication calls it a list of people who, according to the newspaper,
00:40should face revenge following the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
00:46But here's the important point.
00:48Does this list represent Iran's official policy or is it part of something much bigger,
00:55a psychological and political message meant for both domestic and international audience?
01:01Let's break down this story, take a look at the fine print because there's much more here than meets the
01:07eye.
01:08The controversy began when Hamshahri, a newspaper published by Tehran Municipality
01:13and known for its hardline editorial tone, released an online infographic.
01:18The graphic featured 13 foreign leaders.
01:21At the top were US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
01:26That is understandable, shown with sniper-style crosshairs superimposed over their faces.
01:33Below them were 11 other Western leaders, including the British Prime Minister,
01:37the French President, Germany's Chancellor, Italy's Prime Minister,
01:41senior member of the US administration and other political figures.
01:44The publication appeared alongside the first public statement by Mojtaba Khamenei
01:49following the funeral of his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
01:53In the statement, Mojtaba declared that revenge was inevitable.
01:58Naturally, the images immediately attracted international attention.
02:02But before jumping to the conclusions, here's the first point every viewer needs to understand.
02:08Hamshahri is not the Iranian government.
02:11It's a newspaper. Yes, it is owned by Tehran Municipality and is often seen as close to conservative political circles.
02:18But publishing something in Hamshahri does not automatically make it an official government document or state policy.
02:26In fact, reports indicate there has been no official confirmation from Tehran
02:30that this particular revenge list represents an approved government position.
02:36Interestingly, the graphic reportedly appeared online but did not appear in the newspaper's printed Sunday edition.
02:44That detail has become part of the discussion because analysts say it raises questions about how the publication itself wanted
02:53the message to be interpreted.
02:58So, if it is not an official government announcement, then why publish it at all?
03:04Experts say such publications often serve several purposes.
03:08When One India spoke to one of the experts, Dr. Vail Abad, he said that the first reason could be
03:15the domestic politics.
03:17After losing a supreme leader, any successor faces enormous pressure to project strength, showing resolve, promising retaliation, and demonstrating that
03:28the country has not been intimidated.
03:30Are all messages directed as much towards domestic audience as they are towards foreign governments?
03:37In other words, this is about leadership, authority, and continuity.
03:43The second purpose is psychological warfare.
03:46Modern conflicts are fought on multiple battlefields, military operations, cyber attacks, economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and information campaigns.
03:56Sometimes, a newspaper headline, or even a graphic picture can become part of that larger information battle.
04:06The objective may not necessarily be immediate military action.
04:10Instead, it can create uncertainty.
04:13It can dominate headlines.
04:15It can create debates in your living rooms, on the television sets, every evening, back to back.
04:21It can force intelligence agencies to reassess threats.
04:25And it can remind rivals that tensions remain far from over.
04:31Another obvious question is, why these particular names?
04:34Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are not surprising.
04:37Iran has repeatedly accused both the leaders of pursuing aggressive policies against Tehran.
04:43Their inclusion reflects that long-standing political hostility.
04:46The presence of several European leaders also sends some message.
04:51From Tehran's perspective, many European governments supported American and Israeli positions during the recent crisis.
04:58So, including them broadens the political narrative.
05:01Instead of portraying the conflict as simply Iran versus Israel,
05:06the publication attempts to frame it as Iran confronting what it sees as a wider Western alliance.
05:13Whether that reflects official Iranian policy or merely the editorial position of a hardline publication is a separate question.
05:22So, the question is, should the world take this seriously?
05:25The answer is, well, yes, but with caution.
05:28Security agencies never ignore public threats involving world leaders.
05:33Even if a publication is unofficial,
05:35authorities are likely to examine whether it reflects genuine operational planning or simply political messaging.
05:43History has shown that governments distinguish carefully between rhetoric, propaganda and actionable intelligence.
05:50That's why statesmen like these often receive close scrutiny without immediately being treated as evidence of an imminent attack.
05:59So, the big picture is, perhaps the biggest story isn't the list itself.
06:05It is what it tells us about today's conflicts.
06:09Wars are no longer fought only with missiles or soldiers that we have seen so far.
06:14They are also fought through narratives, through symbolism, through public messaging,
06:19and through attempts to shape how people perceive power.
06:23For example, it is easy to understand as of now that a smaller country like Iran is giving tough time
06:30to the United States,
06:32so the sentiments sway in its favor.
06:35Whether this infographic published in Hamshahri represents official policy or simply a provocative publication,
06:42it has already achieved one objective.
06:45The entire world is talking about it, and we are explaining the same to you.
06:50So, is this a genuine warning, a political statement, or an example of psychological warfare in the age of information
06:59-slash-misinformation battles?
07:01The answer may lie somewhere in between, or maybe elsewhere at all.
07:07For now, what is confirmed is this.
07:09A hardline Iranian newspaper published the infographic.
07:13It generated global headlines, but there has been no official confirmation from Tehran that the newspaper's revenge list constitutes former
07:23state policy.
07:24In times of conflict, separating official policy from political messaging becomes just as important as understanding the conflict itself.
07:32And perhaps that is the real story.
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