Policy of Deception: A Strategic Analysis of U.S. Psychological Operations against Iran within the Framework of the Maximum Pressure Policy, with Emphasis on the Trump Era

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor and Faculty Member, University of Mazandaran

2 Master of International Relations, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran

3 PhD Student in Jurisprudence and Fundamentals of Law, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.

10.22124/wp.2026.32170.3610

Abstract

The research question is: “What role did deception and psychological operations play in strengthening and legitimizing the U.S. maximum pressure strategy against Iran?” Accordingly, the study’s hypothesis asserts that, during the Trump administration, the United States sought to enhance the legitimacy and effectiveness of its maximum pressure policy by employing deceptive tactics such as exaggerating Iran’s military threat, selectively disseminating information through the media, instigating social discontent, and delivering contradictory diplomatic messages. The research adopts a qualitative approach based on documentary and discourse analysis; data were collected and analyzed through a review of official U.S. government documents, think-tank reports, diplomatic statements, and international media coverage. The findings indicate that deception, implemented as multi-layered psychological operations, was capable of shaping both international and domestic perceptual environments; however, it failed to achieve the grand strategic objective of fundamentally altering Iran’s behavior. The study’s results suggest that, within the maximum pressure framework, the policy of deception operated more as a tool for maintaining domestic cohesion in the United States and for building international coalitions against Iran than as an instrument for realizing substantive, long-term policy goals.

Keywords

World Politics

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 22 June 2026

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