Coverage of the conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States has focused primarily on battlefield developments, political statements, and international diplomacy.
However, another story has unfolded on the streets of Iran.
Despite fears of further military escalation dominating daily life, residents continue to occupy space, both in person and online. Night after nightthey gather in public spacesposting the evidence on social networks.
In the process, many have turned to culture and the arts to show solidarity and encourage togetherness during this uncertain time.
Fighting the crisis through community
It is common for civilians living in conflict to seek community.
Ukrainian protesters meet in public spaces after the invasion of Russia in 2014. New Yorkers rallied after 9/11. And in the second world war, the London masses collected underground during the Blitz bombing campaign by Nazi Germany.
In moments of crisispublic visibility becomes a way to reclaim agency when all else feels uncertain. In Iran, this response is taking shape in three interconnected layers: physical presence, cultural presence, and digital presence.
Physical presence
The Iranian public has held one visible PRESENCE on streets, parks and public squares. What began as gatherings formed out of shock, grief and uncertainty gradually evolved into a ritual of sorts.
The significance of these gatherings goes beyond displays of courage. During conflicts of war, empty streets can become symbols of fear, instability and social disunity.
Public presence, in contrast, communicates continuity. Remaining visibleCitizens symbolically assert that they have not fully surrendered to the logic of war.
For many, this is not necessarily about supporting a particular political system or leader. It is about protecting the places, communities and relationships that define their lives.
Years of work, family histories and collective memory are threatened by this conflict. Staying present is one way to protect these connections.
In April, after US President Donald Trump threatened Iran’s critical infrastructure, the musician Ali Ghamsari protested by traveling to the Damavand power plant and playing his music in front of the facility. Ghamsari’s image quickly became part of a larger conversation about civic responsibility.
We also saw the power of mass physical presence demonstrated earlier in July, during funeral ceremonies for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tens of thousands of people gathered in Tehran in a huge public display of collective mourning.
Cultural and artistic presence
artists, musicians and cultural figures have played a key role in Iran’s collective response to the war.
Their participation helps instill a sense of belonging while encouraging people to remain engaged in public life.
In this sense, art and culture function not only as entertainment, but as a form of social infrastructure that connects individuals to communities.
music, poetry, religious singing and visual art have all become ways to collectively process fear, grief and uncertainty – and explore wider issues of resilience and identity.
An example is the song Hasbi Allah by Iranian singer-songwriter Mohsen Chavoshi, with lyrics by Mehdi Abassi.
This song is based on a long tradition of Iranian poetry, music and spirituality. It reflects on the human cost of war, mourning those who have suffered, while expressing attachment to the homeland.
Similarly, religious songs (Maddahi) have become an important part of wartime gatherings.
Traditionally associated with mourning and collective remembrance in Shia Islamthese songs in a context of conflict often combine religious symbolism with the expression of love for one’s country and a willingness to sacrifice for it.
Some songs also draw on the broader cultural and historical imagination of Iran. Another video, for example, figure references such as Arash the Sagittariusor Arash-e Kamangir. This hero from Persian mythology is said to have sacrificed his life by shooting an arrow that defined the borders of Iran.
These performances create a bridge between religious devotion, historical memory and national identity.
Digital presence
One of the most distinctive features of this conflict has been that display of AI-generated videosmemes and parody as tools for wartime storytelling.
Unlike the highly ideological, martyrdom-centered narratives of earlier eras of Iranian propaganda, much of this content adopts the language of contemporary Internet culture.
An example is a series of AI-generated Lego animations that have gone viral, with some accrual hundreds of millions of views. These videos recreate military events while including references to Iranian history, mythology and humor – often parodying Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Many of them are overlaid with English music and lyrics, suggesting that they are designed to travel beyond Iranian audiences. However, the creators behind them are largely anonymous.
We’ve also seen new residents use irony, memes, and pop culture references to communicate their feelings about the war.
For example, one video combines patriotic themes with playful visuals and self-aware humor. The rap repeats the line, “there remain of us the souls that live because they love their country.”
These examples reveal an important shift in the language of wartime communication. Iranian citizens are no longer the only audience receiving official messages. They are active participants in constructing narratives about war.
Some of the most compelling stories of conflict have come not from the battlefield, but from people who refuse to look helpless.
Hamideh Khaleghi Mohammadi is a lecturer in media and communication, University of Sydney. Ali Abbasi is an academic and session researcher in media and communication, University of Sydney.
This article was reprinted from Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read on original article.
