In an interview with Hawzah News Agency, Neda Hekmatnia stated that the primary task facing Iranian society today is to first acknowledge that the Islamic Republic has achieved a major victory in the "third imposed war."
Defining victory: thwarting the enemy's endgame
Hekmatnia pushed back against narratives that measure victory solely by the physical destruction of the Zionist regime or the United States. "To judge victory or defeat, we must first understand the enemy's primary objectives," she argued. "Their main goal was the disintegration of Iran, the collapse of the Islamic Republic's political system, and the destruction of our national cohesion. They failed to achieve any of these aims."
She stressed that the Islamic Republic remains standing, its flag still flying, and its state structure preserved despite the most intense pressures and onslaughts. "This is the most significant sign of the Iranian nation's victory. The secret to this success was the formation of unity among the battlefield, diplomacy, and the people. The people stood consciously alongside the forces on the ground, while the diplomatic track was also supported. This synergy amplified our national power and prevented the enemy from reaching its goals."
Legacy of the martyred leader
Hekmatnia credited the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution for cultivating this unity over decades. "He always emphasized the necessity of coordinated movement by all pillars of the country toward the objectives of the Islamic Revolution. If today the battlefield, diplomacy, and the people stand together, it is the result of years of guidance and societal nurturing by him," she said.
The scholar noted that even though the people have not yet met their new leader, a single message or stance from him now charts the course of society, reflecting what the martyred leader described in his writings as the role of the Imam as the "thread of the prayer beads" binding the community together.
Society's political maturity on display
Hekmatnia highlighted the political and social maturity of the Iranian people as another achievement, noting that society now analyzes news with precision and remains sensitive to macro-level national issues. She said recent events disproved claims of deep societal rifts, demonstrating instead that "at critical junctures, the people rally around the flag and the principle of Velayat, defending their homeland and beliefs."
She pointed to figures in the cultural and artistic sphere who had previously distanced themselves from official spaces but stepped forward during this period with works and activities that strengthened national morale and unity.
The cultural activist also hailed the strategic defense capabilities, missile power, and deterrence infrastructure left behind by the martyred leader as a "legacy from the father of the nation to his children, the people of Iran."
A narrative of conquest, not stalemate
"Today's narrative must be one of conquest — a victory in which the enemy was thwarted from achieving its main objectives," Hekmatnia stated. However, she cautioned against two potential pitfalls that could threaten this success.
"First, we must not attribute these accomplishments solely to our own abilities while neglecting the role of divine will. All these achievements have been realized through God's grace and assistance. Any arrogance or self-regard can be damaging."
The cognitive war and media literacy gap
The second challenge, she warned, lies in the society's insufficient media resilience. "Our society has not yet achieved full media literacy, which is why we encounter difficulties in the psychological operations and cognitive warfare arena. The enemy is well aware of this weakness and seeks to exploit it through fake news, contradictory narratives, and psychological operations techniques."
She called on cultural and media institutions to intensify efforts in teaching media literacy and techniques for countering cognitive warfare.
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