General Ahmadi Moghadam: Necessity of Vigilance Among Officials in Cognitive Warfare / We Have the Ability to Defeat the Enemy

The Head of the Supreme National Defense University stated: If necessary, measures are not taken to counter the enemy's cognitive warfare, it could pose security threats for us in the future; therefore, those who care for the system must be cautious about their discourse in such situations.

According to the Center for Communications and International Relations, Brigadier General "Ismail Ahmadi-Moghadam," Head of the Supreme National Defense University , at the inauguration ceremony of the university's webinar room held in commemoration of the Sacred Defense Week, expressed in a video link with "Hadi Kohan-Dal," CEO of the Sacred Defense News Agency, his condolences for the martyr "Fereshta Afshordi (Bagheri)," a journalist who was martyred in the 12-day imposed war. He stated: This year, the commemoration of eight years of Sacred Defense coincides with the leadership of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, the sacrifices of the armed forces, and the remarkable epic of the people during the 12-day imposed war. In this conflict, just as during the eight years of Sacred Defense, we were able to stand proud due to the unwavering support of the people for the Islamic system.

General Ahmadi-Moghadam further noted that the SNDU is now equipped with video communication infrastructure and a studio for producing documentaries, hosting international seminars, and webinars. He added: Today, the use of video communication and webinars, especially in the military field, is highly efficient; as this platform reduces both domestic and even international travel. While we have previously utilized this medium, now, with better exploitation of such capacity, several countries are lined up to hold joint webinars and roundtable discussions for collaborative thinking, and they have requested to organize such sessions.

He emphasized the commitment of the University to pursue innovation, stating that the current global conditions are such that hybrid warfare is used as an effective tool by governments. In this type of warfare, your victories are presented as defeats and their defeats as victories, and this is achieved through the power of media, as public opinion is shaped within this context. For instance, the Hamas movement in Palestine has managed to create a significant movement in public awareness through media, to the extent that major global media outlets could not replace the image they intended to promote.

In the past, media was merely a platform for message transmission; however, today it is not just a means of communication but exerts significant influence on the process of message transfer from sender to receiver. This university may not have a direct role in the media aspect, but as observed in the recent war, the absence or weakness of a central authority for experts appearing in the media to convey information may lead to counterproductive outcomes. For this reason, University serves as a place for training experts who can provide appropriate guidance in public opinion under such circumstances.

Ahmadi Moghadam stated that if the opinions of experts lack coherence, they can neutralize each other. He emphasized that the enemies' effort is to narrate the 12-day imposed war in a way that serves their interests; meanwhile, neighboring countries and the region know that the Islamic Republic is victorious on the battlefield. According to conducted surveys, over 70% of people in these countries and more than 50% of people in Western nations hold this belief. In such circumstances, the enemy seeks to convey through cognitive warfare that Iran was weak in this conflict.

He added that in the face of such propaganda, if necessary measures to counter it are not anticipated, it could pose a security threat for us in the future. Therefore, those who care for the system and the people must be cautious about their discourse in such situations, as many truthful statements should not be made; no sound mind accepts transparency in warfare. Thus, all officials must be aware of this issue. Iran fought against the Zionist regime while the United States and NATO stood behind this regime. However, those who on the third day of the conflict claimed that Iran should unconditionally surrender sent numerous intermediaries on the tenth day, hoping to bring the war to an end.

The Head of the Supreme National Defense University noted that if we do not reflect signs of weakness externally, we can confront the enemy with defeat. In other words, if the national media does not create a realistic image of the country and instead presents a weak portrayal of us, it will undoubtedly increase the enemies' temptation against our nation.

Hadi Kohandeh, the CEO of the Sacred Defense News Agency, also announced the launch of a reporters' club for the agency, stating that the club was recently established in the virtual space. Registration and training will be conducted online, which will not only reduce urban commuting but also facilitate access to training.

The CEO of the Sacred Defense News Agency added that the existing capacity of this news agency is available to the National Defense University, and if there is a need to disseminate news, it can utilize the resources of this agency.