Creator of Viral Iran Lego War Videos Admits Regime Commission
The individual behind a series of viral AI-generated Lego-style propaganda videos about the Iran conflict has publicly acknowledged that the Iranian regime commissions his work. Operating under the pseudonym "Mr Explosive" from the group Explosive Media, he revealed this during an interview, stating it is "honourable to work for the homeland."
The Viral Propaganda Phenomenon
For the past six weeks, social media platforms have been inundated with unusual, colourful clips depicting the Iran war in a Lego Movie aesthetic. These videos, frequently shared by official Iranian channels, have amassed millions of views by trolling former US President Donald Trump, the United States, and Israel with strongly pro-regime narratives.
The bombastic vignettes present politically charged and often offensive scenarios. One clip shows a baby-like President Trump "playing war" on the Oval Office floor, while another depicts Trump examining the Epstein files alongside a figure of Satan. A separate video inaccurately portrays the capture of a downed US fighter-jet pilot by Iranian forces, despite the pilot actually being rescued by US special operations.
Behind the 'Explosive Media' Account
In his discussion on the Top Comment podcast, Mr Explosive explained his team uses Lego imagery "because it is a world language," facilitating broad comprehension. While he has previously described Explosive Media as an "independent" outlet in earlier interviews, he now concedes direct commissioning by the Iranian government.
Appearing in the interview illuminated by the colours of the Iranian flag, Mr Explosive defended his content. He rejected accusations that the videos employ anti-semitic tropes and denied any factual inaccuracies, countering criticism by asserting, "Only 13 per cent of what Mr Trump says is based on facts."
Experts Warn Against Dismissing 'Slopaganda'
Technology and security analysts caution that these videos, despite their juvenile appearance, represent a serious and modern propaganda technique designed to capture viewer attention. Dr Lukasz Olejnik, a technology consultant, noted he had long anticipated states would abandon traditional, "dusty" diplomatic methods in favour of such contemporary approaches.
"That is where attention lives. And attention is now the primary resource in any conflict, including wars," Dr Olejnik emphasised, warning against dismissing the use of pop culture in propaganda as merely "childish" or "unserious."
Iran's Propaganda Strategy Explained
Experts in Iranian culture, Kevin L Schwartz and Olmo Gölz, stated that Iran's deployment of meme-style videos aligns with its established propaganda model. "This is on-brand for the Islamic Republic, both in terms of the medium they are using and the messages they convey," they explained.
At its core, the narrative promotes a binary worldview framing global politics as a clash between the oppressed and oppressors. This good-versus-evil storyline positions Iran as the champion for those it deems subjugated by Western and Israeli influence.
"Simplistic comic book narratives of underdog heroes rising up against powerful enemies are perfect packages for this simplistic goodies-baddies messaging," the experts added, highlighting how the Lego format effectively packages complex geopolitical tensions into easily digestible, shareable content.
