Iran’s mural project - blunt and theatrical - signals defiance in its war with the US

Since the outbreak of war between Iran, Israel and the United States, colourful murals have sprung up across Tehran and beyond, rich in symbolism and themes of resistance and defiance. Photo: AFP

Since the outbreak of war between Iran, Israel and the United States, colourful murals have sprung up across capital Tehran and other major cities, rich in symbolism and themes of resistance and defiance.

Murals and banners have long been a defining feature of Iran's urban landscape, particularly in Tehran, where such paintings in central squares mirror the state's political messaging and foreign policy.

Since the 1979 revolution which established the Islamic republic, such imagery has served as a medium to reflect ideology and collective memory.

A woman walking past a newly-painted anti-US and anti-Israel mural in Tehran. Photo: AFP

In recent days, a mural in Tehran showed a US aircraft carrier carrying rows of coffins draped in American flags, surrounded by small Iranian-flagged boats and a helicopter.

The image evoked dominance at sea, as Iran's armed forces continue a blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas in peacetime.

Another mural depicts a man raising both arms, each wrapped in the Iranian flag, his hands forming a heart.

Murals and banners have long defined Iran’s urban landscape, especially in Tehran, where central works reflect state political messaging and foreign policy. Photo: AFP

Another shows the Iranian flag flowing across the wall with its tulip-shaped emblem bearing a missile in its centre, while a young woman carries a banner reading: "We have all come for the revolution," referencing support for the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Elsewhere, a mural traces a line of clerical leadership in Iran.

It begins with founder of the Islamic republic Ruhollah Khomeini, followed by Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening US-Israel attack of the war on February 28, and culminating with his successor and son Mojtaba Khamenei.

Among the most striking anti-US murals are those surrounding Tehran’s former US embassy - now the 'Den of Spies' museum. Photo: AFP

Separate works depict Iranian drones shattering the Star of David, the emblem of Israel's flag, while one mural shows demonstrators gathered before Azadi Square, chanting "Death to America," with one holding a portrait of Ali Khamenei.

Among the most striking long-standing anti-US murals are those around the former US embassy in central Tehran, now a museum known as the "Den of Spies."

One depicts a fractured Statue of Liberty with a broken arm surrounded by scenes of destruction, while another shows the US flag with skulls replacing its stars. - AFP