cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/46797842

May 2, 2026

The creative team behind many of the viral sensations featuring Lego characters and storytelling critical of the war launched by US-Israeli forces against Iran two months ago, posted a new video on Saturday that seeks to forge solidarity between everyday Iranians and Americans suffering from the conflict, and who desperately want to see the fighting brought to an end.

“The Iranian AI Lego team has another video out,” said Trita Parsi, executive vice president at the Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a DC think tank focused on US foreign policy. “The music, lyrics, and imagery are all designed to appeal to disillusioned Americans.”

  • hcf@sh.itjust.works
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    21 hours ago

    but is this video being put out by the same regime that […]

    It is not, actually. The group behind this is mostly a collective of around 9-10 Iran-based, Gen Z creators operating independent of the IRGC and/or official government of Iran. Their group/org name is “Explosive Media”.

    Lumping everyone in Iran as somehow part of “the regime” is kinda a shitty thing to do.

    That, and Trump’s ACA/Medicaid cuts are estimated to cause upwards of more than 50,000 premature deaths in the US, so you’re also objectively wrong if going by numbers, alone.

    In Trump’s first term, U.S.-led coalition forces killed more than 29,000 non-combatants in Iraq and Syria.

    But sure, the government fighting a CIA-backed, armed rebellion is worse than the government that–checks notes–drops tomahawk missiles on other countries’ elementary schools.

    • couldhavebeenyou@lemmy.zip
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      11 hours ago

      The fact that they’re whitelisted to use the internet alone implies they’re in cahoots with the government

      • some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world
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        9 hours ago

        Not necessarily. People have been working around the data blockade the whole time

        https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgzk91leweo

        I could see the government giving informal approval. (which could simply take the form of them knowing who the group is and letting them continue). But part of the regime? who knows.

        Not that the distinction really matters. The more I learn about Iran, I realize that basically everything that goes on there exists in some sort of grey area

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      20 hours ago

      collective of around 9-10 Iran-based, Gen Z creators operating independent of the IRGC and/or official government of Iran.

      About that…

      In previous interviews the outlet has said it is “totally independent”. But upon further questioning, Mr Explosive admits the regime is a “customer” - something he’s never before confirmed publicly.

      https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjd8jrd1vnyo

      If you’re ok having your domestic fascist regime being you’re “customer” you can’t really push back when people call your product propaganda for the fascist regime…

      “But they offer me monies!” Isn’t a good enough excuse to work for fascists with criticism for it.

      • hcf@sh.itjust.works
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        16 hours ago

        FTA:

        In earlier Instagram messages, he’d told us his operation had been directly commissioned for multiple projects by Iranian officials.

        So… What’s your point? What were the nature of the projects? Your linked article doesn’t say.

        Btw, are you an American? Do you pay taxes to the American fascist regime (or one of its coalition partners)? Yes? Then you directly fund the melting of school children overseas. Do you drive a gas-fueled vehicle? Yeah? Welp, 0.9¢ per gallon of that goes straight to frying little brown boys and girls in Gaza.

        If that’s not more concerning to you than feigning moral supremacy over some dudes making Lego videos then perhaps your vision is a bit tinted by a different kind of supremacy.

        • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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          16 hours ago

          What’s your point?

          What I said it was…

          If you’re ok having your domestic fascist regime being you’re “customer” you can’t really push back when people call your product propaganda for the fascist regime…

          .

          Btw, are you an American?

          Yeah bro, it sucks…

          See that? A citizen saying their government is a bunch of fascists.

          1. What country are you from?

          2. How do you feel about your current government?

          Usually when asking it’s politie to offer up the same info pre-emptively.

          I answered anyways, but if you don’t reciprocate it kind of makes it look like you got something to hide

          • hcf@sh.itjust.works
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            16 hours ago

            They were rhetorical questions. You weren’t supposed to answer them.

            You have terrible reading comprehension.

            🤦‍♂️

            • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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              16 hours ago

              Does that mean I don’t get an answer?

              What country are you from?

              How do you feel about your current government?

              Usually when asking it’s politie to offer up the same info pre-emptively.

              I answered anyways, but if you don’t reciprocate it kind of makes it look like you got something to hide

        • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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          18 hours ago

          Man, I really thought the “everyone I don’t like is a zionist” phase…

          The guy who wrote that article also just made a documentary:

          https://liontv.com/our-shows/palestine-action-the-truth-behind-the-ban-dispatches

          Calling out the UK government for banning Palestine Action…

          This may surprise you, the vast majority of “westerners” hate the governments of Israel, Iran, and likely their own domestic governments.

          Criticizing one place does not equallyean someone is “on the other side”.

          In fact, in a lot of conflicts, both governments are assholes.

          Does that make sense?

          • Riverside@reddthat.com
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            5 hours ago

            You literally ended your previous comment with “but they gave me monies! Is not good enough reason to work with a fascist”. Funny how this only ever seems to apply to foreign enemy states and not to people in your own fucking country. The BBC has been systematically silencing pro Palestinian voices and amplifying Zionist discourse, by your own logic your author is a fascist collaborator.

            You complain about “everyone I don’t like is a Zionist”, but you do the even worse “everyone my government tells me is a fascist”. Iran is not fascist for defending itself against US attacks, it has the right to self defense.

            If you have quarrels with deaths of Iranians, as I do, you’d be much better off protesting western governments sanctioning Iran with the express purpose of starving people until they revolt, western sanctions murder half a million people globally every year since 1975 (or over 38 million since 1970). If you want to look at the reasons for the anti-Government protests that oh so coincidentally spawned right before your war, look at the exchange rates of the Iranian Rial and the effects of US sanctions on currency value in Iran.

            The US playbook goes: sanction and blockade a country’s economy -> generate economic hardship for the citizens and insatisfaction -> arm protestors and/or rebel factions and/or neighboring enemies -> invade when crisis happens

            This helps the US generate the inner turmoil and chaos necessary for its goals, and the national and international popular support for the invasion. We’ve seen it in Syria, we’ve seen it in Libya, we’ve seen it with Iran before (Mosaddeq), and we’re seeing it again.

            • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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              4 hours ago

              No it applies to them too…

              I think the Cruz of the issue, is when someone criticizes something you support in any aspect, you assume that means the completely disagree with you every aspect of that topic and every other topic…

              I literally just explained what you’re still having problems with:

              This may surprise you, the vast majority of “westerners” hate the governments of Israel, Iran, and likely their own domestic governments.

              Criticizing one place does not equallyean someone is “on the other side”.

              In fact, in a lot of conflicts, both governments are assholes.

              And then you came back with this:

              you’d be much better off protesting western governments

              What the fuck do you think we’ve been doing?

              And why aren’t you doing it in the country you live in, but what disclose?

              I got a pretty good guess, but I’m trying not to assume.

              • Riverside@reddthat.com
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                2 hours ago

                And why aren’t you doing it in the country you live in, but what disclose?

                My picture from 1st of May, literally 3 days ago, protesting in Vallecas, Madrid against the western militarization.

                Iran will not improve until it gets rid of the US, so focus on that if you “hate both”.

                • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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                  2 hours ago

                  so focus on that

                  You mean what I was doing before you started whatever this whole thing has been about?

                  I could have been doing more of that if I had just blocked you already.

                  You’re actively working against your own self professed instrests here mate.

                  Not just wasting time, actively hurting it.

                  • Riverside@reddthat.com
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                    2 hours ago

                    You’re the one criticising the Iranian Lego propaganda and calling the government fascists for daring to defend themselves from US intervention