Dugin Speaks on Delaying World War III | The West Has No Scenario Other Than World War; We Only Have to Win
Despite the extensive role of cinema, media, and social networks in shaping images of countries, why is Iran's narrative in Western public opinion seen mainly through the lens of 'threat' and 'problem'? This is the focus of a conversation with Russian philosopher Professor Alexander Dugin, who addresses the role of art and media in representing Iran and the need to change this narrative.
According to Ambassador Arjan, when Iran is discussed in the western media, before the Iranian people, culture and civilization are mentioned, "nuclear issue", "regional threat" or "tension with America" are mentioned. This image has been created and repeated over the years, and now for many western audiences, it has become a part of their perception of Iran.
But how was this image formed? What role did cinema and art have in making it and can Iran and Russia present a different narrative of themselves in the world?
These are some of the questions we raised in an exclusive conversation with Professor Alexander Dugin, a Russian philosopher and thinker.
In the western media narrative of Iran, an important change can be seen during the last few decades; that Iran is represented less as a society and more as an "issue"; Nuclear issue, human rights, regional security or confrontation with America. In your opinion, how did this transfer of the topic from "Iranian society" to "Iranian issue" take place and what role did art and media play in stabilizing it?
Dugin: To be precise, the revolution of Imam Khomeini in 1979 was not just a domestic political event in Iran; Rather, it was literally a big challenge for the West. In other words, the Iranian society started an uprising against the modern world and the hegemony of the West.
The Iranians themselves were fully aware of this issue; Both the supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini and their enemies. The roles were clearly and unambiguously defined; On one side was Mahdi's army and on the other side was Dajjal's army.
What can we expect from the civilization of Baal, the civilization of Epstein, the civilization of Dajjal, which was challenged by the Iranian revolution? Using all available tools, from information media to art and education, they created a caricature image of Iranian society. To the extent that no one was interested in knowing the reality of affairs in Iran.
We are facing a confrontation between two incompatible and irreconcilable principles. Iran is Shiite Iran, the Iran of Velayat Faqih, the Iran of Ayatollah Khomeini and his successor, Ayatollah Khamenei, and the current leader, the Iran of the Mahdi. An Iranian who believes in the final battle and is waiting for the imminent appearance of the Mahdi [AS]. On the other hand, the western civilization is the antichrist. Therefore, one should not be surprised by such a distortion of Iran's reality.
If we want to go beyond the level of news and politics, in your opinion, which cultural images and stereotypes have played the greatest role in shaping the perception of Iranians among the western audience? Is this image more a product of Hollywood and the entertainment industry or the news media? And is there a difference between the two?
Dugin: The West, as the antichrist civilization, has formed a distorted image of Iran as a backward, dark and ignorant society, which is dominated by religious concepts and beliefs. At the same time, the modern West prides itself on being freed from religion; The West that promotes permissive morality, deviant behavior, legalization of deviance, promiscuity, degeneracy, gender reassignment surgeries, and unrestricted immigration.
None of these exists in Iran. Iran lives according to the holy tradition. Iran has put the eternal thing against the worldly thing; And in the interpretation of Suhrvardi, the land of origin, the land of the East, has placed "Eshraq" against the well of the West's exile.
But what do we expect from the West? In Hollywood, in art and in popular narratives, the West creates an image of Iran as a backward society. But note that the history of the West itself is depicted very similarly.
That is, the modern West not only hates Iran as a traditional society; But he also hates his own deep Catholic tradition. From this point of view, the hatred towards Iran and the distorted images that are presented of Iran, including in the global industry and in the demonization of Iran's image, are, in fact, nothing but the settlement of the West with its own Middle Ages and with its own tradition.
These are actually a single principle. The modern West hates tradition; From the tradition of other nations, from the tradition of the great people of Iran, from the Islamic tradition. But at the same time, he also hates the Christian tradition. It should be noted that the issue is not only Iranophobia; The problem is the modern West's hatred of anything that constitutes tradition. This is the defining characteristic of Dajjal civilization.
An important debate about Iran is the "war of narratives" and civilizational competition. But an important issue is that the West does not necessarily say "this narrative about Iran is true"; Rather, by repeating some images, topics and words, it determines from what angle the audience should see Iran. Do you consider this "mental agenda setting" more important than direct advertising?
Dugin: The media is merely a means of transmitting information; The main problem lies in the paradigm. When we are faced with two incompatible and irreconcilable civilizational paradigms, each of them shapes the image of the enemy according to itself.
On the other hand, pay attention to this issue; What is the image of the West in modern Iranian society after the Khomeini revolution? Basically, the image is of a society of evil, decay and corruption. And it is absolutely true! From the perspective of tradition, western modernity represents decline.
But from the point of view of decay itself, from the point of view of antichrist and antichrist civilization, everything he opposes is labeled as evil. What really matters, then, is the civilizational code itself, not merely the means employed to convey these perceptions of its deep, spiritual rival.
Why do you think Iranian art, especially cinema, is sometimes well received in the West, but the same audience may still have a very negative image of Iran?
Dugin: First of all, the West values Iranian cinema when liberal elements are present in it; That is, a place where signs of individualism, liberalism, criticism of the system, or some kind of feeling of alienation can be recognized. This is also part of a political project.
The West basically cannot appreciate a deep Iranian cinema that reflects the values of a society under the Velayat al-Faqih system.
Therefore, just as at the end of the Soviet Union, the West supported currents in Soviet art that undermined the Soviet ideology and focused on individualism, alienation, and personal conflicts instead of the main ideological narratives, the exact same situation exists in the case of Iranian cinema.
The Iranian cinema supported by the West, in my opinion, is not the cinema that reflects the true values of the Iranian revolution.
What are the common points of the West's media and propaganda approach towards Russia and Iran? In both cases, is there a similar pattern (eg turning a country into a "threat", focusing on certain images or...)?
Dugin: Absolutely. Russia, almost like revolutionary Iran in 1979, in 2022 and when the war with Ukraine started, definitely challenged the antichrist civilization. In Iran, unfortunately, many people do not understand that these are actually a single war.
We are at war; The Russians are fighting against the Antichrist; Muslims, Shiites and Iranians against Dajjal. Antichrist and Antichrist are the same. From this point of view, the demonization of Iran and Russia by the western society follows a single principle, because the issue is the clash of civilizational ideas.
Therefore, the methods are similar. In the movies, Russians are portrayed as evil, ruthless, ignorant and backward people, mired in corruption, and their society is neither progressing nor progressive from a Western point of view. This is the clash between ideas; And that is why there are striking similarities between the caricatures made of Iranians and Russians. Both Iran and Russia are major obstacles to the reign of Dajjal. This issue should be understood in this way.
We must respond to this issue mutually. But unfortunately, in the art of both Iran and Russia, this deep and independent understanding of this civilization war does not exist. We are lagging behind in this regard. We must reveal the true nature of the West. Our art should be in the direction of conveying and showing the true depth of the fall of the West. However, sometimes we simply satirize the representation of the West or imitate the West itself.
Iran and Russia should reconsider their cultural policy. Because this is a war of civilizations. There can be no neutral third force. Each side defends its truth. They defend the falsity and nature of Dajjal civilization, and Dajjal is a liar. Therefore, all their art and politics are based on lies.
But our art and politics must be based on truth; For us Russians, it is the truth of Christ, and for Iranians, it is the Mahdi.
If we accept that the image of a country in the world is not created only by diplomacy and foreign policy, but cinema, music, media, platforms and even the everyday image of people in social networks play a role in its creation, what kind of global image has been created of Iran now?
Dugin: This is a very important question. In my opinion, the importance of Ayatollah Khomeini's thoughts, the Iranian revolution and Shi'ism in general is a universal matter. This is not just a religious, Islamic, Shiite or Iranian national idea; Rather, Iran carries a global idea. We need to find new images and formats to convey this idea.
My book "Fourth Political Theory" was published in Iran and I have talked about this issue with many very serious and high-ranking figures in Iran; Both those who were martyred, like Larijani, and those who are currently in high positions.
The fourth political theory can help translate the idea of the Iranian revolution into a global language. Once this idea is concretely formulated in the language of metaphysics and political philosophy, a step can be taken towards aesthetics, culture and the use of cinema, music and social platforms.
Therefore, it is necessary to start from the idea. And right here there is a huge problem. Because Iranian philosophy is strongly influenced by Karl Popper; Under the strong influence of the ideology of the enemy of Antichrist. Liberalism is present in Iranian philosophy through "Soroush" and other currents.
This is exactly the problem we are facing. Contemporary Russian philosophy is liberal and westernized. Of course, not everywhere, but on a large scale. This issue is an obstacle that does not allow Iran and Russia to use their civilizational capacity to promote a global discourse.
If Russia, for example, only talks about its orthodoxy and tradition, or if Iran only talks about Shiism and religious authority, each of these will remain a limited sphere of influence. We must give a universal meaning to our struggle; A struggle that concerns every human being on earth. Because this is a struggle between truth and falsehood, and salvation and destruction.
We must first find new intellectual concepts and then find their appropriate expression. It is not just about advertising. Advertising has a very limited scope. We are facing an enemy that penetrates into human consciousness. Dajjal civilization is Satan's civilization. He is present not only outside, but also inside human consciousness. Therefore, we must declare a battle for awareness; To expel and remove the devil from the existence of humans.
To achieve this goal, we must use all the methods accumulated in our holy traditions, the Russian and Iranian traditions, and take advantage of everything; Enlightenment philosophy, Iranian psychology, Ibn Sina's philosophy, Shiism, mysticism and all forms of our worldview.
We must emphasize visualization. Sohrvardi has used such beautiful images in the philosophy of enlightenment! In fact, our social media and art should draw inspiration from traditional imagery. We from our icons and religion, and Iranians from our sacred knowledge. What matters is this; Promoting sacred knowledge and finding suitable forms and figures to express it.