Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at the closing ceremony of the first national event of the “Seminary Narrative Movement,” Hojatoleslam Rostami said seminaries must mobilize the vast potential of clerics as “human media” to counter hostile media algorithms and shape public perception effectively.
He emphasized that while adversaries encourage learning conventional “media literacy” based on their own frameworks, they themselves actively employ “narrative literacy” — the strategic presentation of facts to construct desired public mindsets — without explicitly naming it as such.
“If we examine existing literature, we find almost no serious resources on narrative literacy as a tool for shaping perceptions,” Rostami noted. “Most available works focus on storytelling, not on strategic narration aimed at influencing public understanding.”
Narrative Control and Perception Management
Hojatoleslam Rostami argued that for decades, the narrative about Iran’s seminaries has largely been shaped by external and internal adversaries, who, through targeted messaging, have formed dominant public perceptions.
He cited the “macro-narrative of inefficiency” promoted by opponents against the Islamic establishment, asserting that extensive investment has been made to entrench this perception. As a result, he said, any positive account of the system’s achievements is absorbed and neutralized within that overarching narrative framework.
“This is precisely what is meant by the ‘war of narratives,’ a concept repeatedly emphasized by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei,” he said.
Algorithms and Platform Bias
Referring to the performance of social media platforms during recent unrest in Iran, Hojatoleslam Rostami claimed that platform algorithms did not operate neutrally.
“Pages opposing the system enjoyed unusually high visibility, while revolutionary voices producing content in compliance with platform rules faced significant restrictions,” he said.
According to Rostami, this demonstrates the need to rely less on platform-dependent dissemination and more on empowered individuals capable of directly influencing audiences.
‘Human Media’ as a Strategic Solution
Rostami described seminary students as a “vast army” of creative and committed individuals who, if equipped with narrative tools, could effectively bypass what he termed “intelligent filtering” by digital platforms.
“In conditions where algorithmic filtering sidelines revolutionary content, the only effective solution is the active presence of capable and motivated human forces,” he said.
He further stressed the importance of supporting identity-driven seminary groups, describing them as flexible, creative, and resilient. Unlike formal institutions bound by bureaucratic structures, he said, these groups act swiftly, remain active despite financial fluctuations, and sustain their mission through strong ideological identity.
Expanding the Narrative Movement
Hojatoleslam Rostami praised organizers of the Narrative Movement initiative for developing course materials and launching educational platforms despite limited written resources on the subject.
He noted that while textual narrative courses were launched first, additional programs covering audio formats such as podcasts and storytelling, as well as visual and graphic productions, are underway. Related events are expected to be held next year.
Concluding his remarks, Rostami called on all clerics — from media activists to mosque preachers and Friday prayer leaders — to actively engage in narrating their activities using modern communication tools.
“All of us must be narrators of our own actions,” he said, emphasizing the need to adopt contemporary media formats, including audio, visual, and graphic tools, to convey what he described as an accurate understanding of the seminaries’ role and mission.
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