#IraniansStandWithIsrael: Iran bans speaking out online in support of Israel – but it has not deterred some

15 April 2024, 15:59 | Updated: 15 April 2024, 18:35

Iranians speaking out online in support of Israel could face criminal punishment from the authoritarian regime - but that is not stopping everyone.

In the wake of the country's attack on Israel, Arabic hashtags for 'Iran' and 'World War Three' began to trend on social media.

The Revolutionary Guards Intelligence Organisation then issued a notice urging citizens to report any digital support for Israel, warning it would be treated as a criminal offence once the users have been identified.

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"[The] actions of the [Israeli] regime have hurt the feelings of the great nation of Iran," the notice states.

It continues by asking "if you see any activity in support of the fake Israeli government in cyberspace, to send the information and specifications of the mentioned pages and their operators" to the IRCG.

"It should be noted that according to Articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Law on Countering the Zionist Regime's Hostile Actions against Peace and Security, the perpetrators will be dealt with decisively."

Iranians appeared divided over the attacks, but three trends began to crystallise across social media: support for Israel, scepticism of official news and the ridicule of weapons used in the attack.