Comparative Analysis of Media Narratives of the Twelve-Day War between Iran and Israel (Case Study of the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network and Iran International)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Allameh Tabatabai University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Social Communication Sciences

2 Associate professor, Department of communication, Faculty of communication and Media, university of broadcasting, Tehran, Iran

10.22082/cr.2026.2087156.2927
Abstract
In the present era, news media have gone beyond information tools and have become the main players in the war of narratives and soft power. The present study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the representation of the 12-day war between Iran and Israel on two news networks: Iran International and the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network. The research method is qualitative and based on narrative content analysis. The data were collected through the online archives of the two networks' nightly news and reports during the 12-day war and analyzed in the form of a coding form. The findings showed that Iran International Network presented a narrative of "Israeli authority and Iranian weakness" using functional and symbolic codes and highlighted Iran's vulnerability through words and images with negative connotations. In contrast, the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, relying on cultural and semantic codes, represented the war in the form of "legitimate resistance and Iranian defensive response" and emphasized internal authority and solidarity using religious and national symbols and keywords. The results show that both networks, despite their ideological differences, have used similar techniques such as hermeneutic and action codes to create suspense and attract the audience. This action indicates the decisive role of the media in directing public opinion and legitimizing their desired narratives. Accordingly, a comparative study of news narratives can be an effective tool for identifying media bias and promoting media literacy in the face of the war of narratives.

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 10 August 2026

  • Receive Date 18 May 2026
  • Revise Date 06 August 2026
  • Accept Date 08 August 2026