Iranian-Saudi Cold War: A New Target for Quds Day

An Iranian citizen journalist, who writes under a pseudonym to protect her identity, wrote the following article from inside Iran.

Propaganda for Quds Day rallies usually begins early, at least several days prior to the event, which takes place on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan. This year it fell on July 1. 

And this year, in addition to the usual anti-Israel and anti-American sentiments the day has become known for, the slogans, posters and rhetoric had an added focus: vilifying Saudi Arabia and its policies in the Middle East — and especially the role it plays in Yemen’s civil war. Many billboards, commissioned by Tehran Municipality, also criticize the fact that Saudi Arabia has been left off the UN’s annual list of countries that violate human rights. 

After the emergence of the Islamic Republic, Quds Day was initiated to show solidarity with Palestinians. Since Ayatollah Khamenei has been in place as Supreme Leader, he has shown a firm commitment to the day, urging the public to come out on the streets to show its support. 

Those in charge of the propaganda use every type of media tool to get their message across to the people, from rousing announcements on Iranian state-run radio and television to billboards and posters hung on almost any other available vertical space. Across Tehran, advertisements for commercial products are taken down and replaced with pro-Palestine messages.

Most of the posters and signs this year were specially commissioned, and produced by both Iranian and foreign artists. Some of the posters from May’s second Holocaust Cartoon Exhibition in Tehran have been repurposed for Quds Day. 

There are also billboards dedicated to exposing “truths” about America. “Every nine seconds an American woman is assaulted,” says one. Of course, photographs of the billboards and other visually compelling material spread quickly via social networks, often marked with the hashtag #DidYouKnow. 

The recent “cold war” between Iran and Saudi Arabia emerged as conflicts in Yemen and Bahrain escalated, and Saudi Arabia’s influence in the two countries became evident. But it reached a crisis point after protesters occupied and vandalized the Saudi embassy in Tehran in January. Saudi Arabia broke diplomatic relations with Iran shortly after the incident. More recently, the dispute between the two countries worsened after Bahrain stripped a Shia cleric of his citizenship. Iran publicly threatened Bahrain and views Saudi Arabia as the ultimate culprit behind the move. 

So this year, the annual Quds Day rally has provided Iranian hardliners with a new target, and a good opportunity to continue their attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Amir Amani, Tehran