Brick by Brick: How Iran Won the War Narrative

When I first saw the title of Alia Chughtai’s article, “‘Vengeance for All’: How Iran’s Lego Videos Won Narrative War Against Trump,” I was struck by the contradiction.  I associated LEGO figures with my daughters' innocent childhood and creativity, not missiles, information manipulation, and war.  That contradiction is quite possibly why the videos have been so effective.  This post is not a critique of war strategy.  That's another story and we don't have the hours..

Let's get back to the focus here:  Iranian creators used AI-generated, LEGO-style videos to present Iran’s interpretation of its (ahem) conflict with the United States and Israel.  Rather than relying on traditional speeches or military footage, the videos combine humor, music, familiar imagery, and emotionally charged references to American history.  They connect the current conflict to slavery, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Abu Ghraib, and the destruction of Iran Air Flight 655 (Chughtai, 2026).

Whether every comparison is fair is beside the point.  The creators understood that winning the narrative war does not necessarily require proving a complete argument.  It requires earning attention and giving people a story they can easily understand and share.

The videos also target existing divisions within the United States using Trump’s own language against him to question whether his decisions serve Americans or Israel.  The videos reference hot-button issues like the Epstein files.  Instead of communicating only with supporters of Iran, the creators speak directly to the frustrations and suspicions already present among American audiences.

What I find most concerning is how easily entertainment and propaganda now blend together. The LEGO format lowers our defenses.  We may watch because the content appears clever or funny, but the aim is to deliver a carefully constructed political message.

Iran may not be able to overpower the United States militarily, but these creators recognized another battlefield:  public perception.  Their advantage wasn’t greater technology or more resources.  It was understanding the audience and the power of the medium better and ultimately telling a more memorable story.

References:

Chughtai, A. (2026, April 17). ‘Vengeance for all’: How Iran’s Lego videos won narrative war against Trump. Al Jazeera.


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