The Culture of Defeat Framed as Victory
in the Iranian (Persian) Mindset
by Umud Duzgun
July 17/2025
Iranian political and cultural discourse exhibits a persistent phenomenon that can be described as the transmutation of historical defeat into symbolic or moral victory. This psychological and rhetorical maneuver—deeply embedded in both Shi‘a religious mythology and Persian nationalist ideology—enables systemic failures to be interpreted as triumphs of faith, dignity, or moral superiority. Whether in the context of military setbacks, international isolation, or even football losses, this defeat-as-victory mindset operates as a cultural survival mechanism and a tool of political control.
I. Two Foundations of the Defeat-as-Victory Narrative
This narrative is based on historical and ideological foundations:
1. Preserving False Pride through Historical Reframing
Iran’s historical record is marked more by military defeats than decisive victories. From ancient times through the modern era, Iran has suffered major losses against foreign powers:
Defeat by Alexander the Great (4th century BCE)
Defeat by Arab (Battle of Qadisiyah- 7th century AD)
Defeat by Mongol (13th century)
Defeat by Ottoman Empire (battle of Chaldiran - 1514)
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Defeat by Russia (1804–13 and 1826–28)
Despite this consistent pattern of defeat, Iranian historiography and popular discourse tend to reframe such events as outcomes of treachery, moral superiority, or foreign conspiracy rather than strategic miscalculations or institutional failure. The goal of these rewritings is to inflate false civilizational pride even in the face of objective collapse.
The only substantial military successes often cited—those under Nader Shah Afshar, a Turkic military genius—are notable exceptions in an otherwise continuous arc of failure. But even these are attributed more to his unique leadership than to the Persian state’s structural capability.
2. Shu‘ubi-Shi‘a Ideological Reversal of Victory and Defeat
At the theological core of this cultural psyche lies the Shi‘a doctrine of martyrdom, particularly centered on the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. Imam Hussein’s death at the hands of the Umayyad army was a devastating defeat, but it was recast in Shi‘a theology as a spiritual victory—a righteous stand against tyranny. Over time, this defeat became the defining symbol of Shi‘a identity: an eternal, sacred martyrdom that bestows moral supremacy.
This theology of redemptive suffering found a powerful cultural echo in the Shu‘ubiyyah movement—a Persian nationalist current that emerged in response to Arab domination. Following their defeat, Persian elites allied themselves with the Shi‘a opposition to the Umayyads, not purely for theological reasons, but as a vehicle for reclaiming and consolidating a humiliated Persian nationalism under the guise of Shiism. In this synthesis, Shiism served as a vehicle to sacralize Iran’s historical (Cultual, political and military) defeats, while simultaneously reinforcing a Persian-centric pride, expressed through themes of martyrdom and religious victimhood.
Thus, defeat becomes a virtue, and martyrdom becomes a form of civilizational affirmation.
II. Modern Manifestations: Reframing Loss as Triumph
This ideological framework is far from historical nostalgia. It actively shapes modern Iranian political rhetoric, media discourse, and public perception, manifesting across military, diplomatic, and cultural domains.
The Strategic Defeat of Iran: The Consequences of the Twelve-Day War (June 13-24, 2025)
A series of targeted Israeli strikes against Iran-backed forces across the Middle East critically degraded Iran's proxy network, setting the stage for a direct military confrontation. This escalation culminated in the Twelve-Day War (June 13-24, 2025), a high-intensity conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. The war resulted in over 1,100 casualties, including the elimination of 20 Iranian senior military commanders and 11 nuclear scientists. It also led to the widespread destruction of key Iranian military infrastructure, such as 12 air bases, the nation's integrated air defense network, and its primary missile launch facilities. Iran launched hundreds of missiles in response, but most were intercepted by Israeli air defenses or fell short. A few projectiles penetrated the air defense system, but this did not prove to be a decisive factor. The damage inflicted was minimal, with Israeli casualties limited to 27 civilians and one soldier. The conflict was decisively concluded by a United States offensive that bombed three critical nuclear sites.
This action precipitated a negotiated ceasefire, implemented under terms largely dictated by the U.S.–Israeli coalition. The truce was not formalized through any memorandum or structured timetable, but rather emerged as an unwritten and fragile understanding. In the absence of binding guarantees, the ceasefire leaves open the possibility of renewed hostilities, creating space for Israel and the United States to launch future surprise offensives under similar circumstances.
The outcome constituted a crippling blow to the three central pillars of Iran's strategic doctrine: its regional proxy network, ballistic missile arsenal, and nuclear program were all severely damaged, resulting in a near-total loss of its deterrent leverage and a sharp decline in Iran's national standing.
Victory claim by Khamenei
Yet, in the wake of this crushing defeat, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared, “The Zionist regime, under the blows of the Islamic Republic, has nearly collapsed and been crushed.”
This statement epitomizes the regime's adherence to a "Karbala paradigm," a discursive strategy that transmutes tangible military failure into a narrative of spiritual victory and divine vindication. This is not merely wartime rhetoric; it is a deliberate ideological mechanism designed to project internal resilience, suppress political dissent, and maintain absolute ideological control over a populace confronted with the stark reality of national humiliation.
The ‘Glorious Loss’ in Sports
Even in sports commentary, the defeat-as-victory narrative prevails. After a 3–0 loss in football, a commentator proclaimed:
“The Parsi Stars (ستارگان پارسی) played really well. Though they lost 3–0, they conceded the match with strength and dignity. Even in defeat, their merit stands firm. Congratulations to their bravery.”
Such framing is common in Iranian media: emotional valor replaces factual result, reinforcing a mindset of symbolic superiority despite objective failure.
Once again, nationalistic sentiments take the place of reality; and the loss becomes an “honorary presence” to such an extent that it becomes a laughing stock for the observers.
Collapse of the Nuclear Deal and Economic Crisis (2018–2022)
Following the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018, Iran endured crippling economic sanctions, a collapsing currency, and increasing isolation. Nevertheless, Iranian officials portrayed this as a moment of national resilience. Former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif stated:
“The Iranian people once again proved their dignity and resilience. They will not bow to tyranny.”
In reality, living conditions deteriorated drastically—but the state narrative maintained the façade of spiritual resistance and victim-heroism.
III. Political and Psychological Functions
This culture of symbolic victory serves distinct ideological, psychological, and political purposes:
National Resilience: Encourages people to endure difficult situations with pride through national resilience
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Propaganda Shield: It deflects responsibility from the Iranian regime onto external enemies.
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Ideological Continuity: It links the legitimacy of the Iranian clerical system to distorted Shiite history.
False civilizational pride: Maintains a sense of Persian superiority despite real defeats.
IV: From Denial to Responsibility — A Comparative Perspective on Defeat
In the Iranian (Persian-speaking) political and cultural imagination, defeat is rarely acknowledged as failure. Instead, it is often reinterpreted as a form of moral, cultural, or spiritual victory. Throughout modern Iranian history, the loss of territory or sovereignty has frequently been justified as the survival of Shu'ubi Shiite- Persian identity, preserving a sense of national pride while insulating the ruling elite from accountability. This deeply ingrained pattern is not entirely unique to Iran, but its persistence and ideological sophistication are exceptional.
In contrast, the post-World War II experiences of Germany and Japan reveal a markedly different trajectory. Both nations faced existential defeat on a global stage, yet responded with radical self-critique, public acknowledgment of responsibility, and far-reaching structural reforms. Their national narratives shifted away from glorification and denial toward reconstruction and reintegration into the global community. Denial gave way to responsibility—an essential precondition for building democratic institutions and achieving economic revival.
Iran, by contrast, has developed a durable culture of symbolic survival in place of institutional change. Even in contemporary discourse, economic collapse or foreign policy isolation is routinely reframed through the lens of divine approval, martyrdom, or cultural superiority. This strategy preserves internal legitimacy but stifles adaptation, traps society in cycles of blame, and legitimizes authoritarian governance. While Germany and Japan converted defeat into opportunity, Iran remains tethered to an illusion of triumph, unable—or unwilling—to confront the structural roots of its decline.
Conclusion: The Triumph of Illusion over Reality
Iran’s culture of reframing defeat as victory is not a delusional aberration. It is a highly developed ideological system, cultivated over centuries, and now weaponized for modern statecraft. It enables the Iranian regime to maintain internal legitimacy, suppress truth-based dissent, and reassert Shu'ubi Shi‘a-Persian identity in the face of empirical collapse.
But beneath this symbolic triumph lies a more troubling reality: a nation caught in historical denial, structurally weakened, and disconnected from the modern world. Without confronting the truth of its failures, the Iranian state risks repeating them—only on a grander, more destructive scale.
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AI Overview about my Article:
“What AI Thinks About My Article on the Persian Mindset”
Umud Duzgun's article "The Culture of Defeat Framed as Victory in the Iranian (Persian) Mindset" was published on Medium Website and explores a cultural phenomenon in Iran where a sense of loss or defeat is reframed as a spiritual or moral victory. The article's title suggests it examines how this mindset contributes to collective identity and historical interpretation, potentially linking to themes of martyrdom and resilience within Persian culture. Key Aspects of the Article (based on its title and common themes): Cultural Framing: The article likely discusses how collective experiences of hardship or subjugation are not viewed as simple defeats but are imbued with deeper meaning, such as spiritual growth or prophetic significance. Persian vs. Iranian Mindset: The title uses both "Iranian" and "Persian," suggesting the author may be exploring the historical and cultural roots of this phenomenon, which are deeply tied to the identity of the Persian people. Martyrdom and Resilience: The theme of "defeat framed as victory" is often associated with religious concepts, such as the Shia concept of martyrdom emphasized during the Iranian Revolution, where dying for a cause is seen as a supreme triumph. Historical Context: The article may delve into how major historical events, like the Mongol invasions or foreign interventions, have been interpreted within this framework to maintain a sense of pride and cultural continuity. Modern Relevance: It could also explore how this cultural lens continues to influence contemporary Iranian society, politics, and individual outlooks. interesting-To read the full article, you can visit Medium and search for "Umud Duzgun" or the title of the article.
AI deep View of the article
- Reclaiming narrative: Duzgun argues that this reframing is a psychological response to what some perceive as a history of marginalization and political defeats at the hands of the centralized Persian state. In this view, a stolen victory or a state-enforced injustice is not just a loss but a confirmation of the oppressive system. This confirmation, in turn, strengthens group identity and resistance.
- The stolen victory of Tractor FC: Duzgun uses a historical incident involving the Tractor FC football club to illustrate this phenomenon. In 2015, the team was on the verge of winning the league when a series of suspicious events, including false announcements and controversial refereeing, resulted in their loss. Many fans believed the state manipulated the match to prevent an Azerbaijani team from winning, turning the defeat into a "stolen victory". This incident became a powerful symbol of injustice and a rallying cry for the Azerbaijani community, strengthening their sense of identity and opposition to the central government.
- Connecting football to politics: The article draws parallels between the politicized role of Tractor FC in Iran and FC Barcelona in Catalonia. Both teams are seen as symbols of a suppressed regional identity asserting itself against a central government.
- Psychological resistance: Ultimately, Duzgun describes the reframing of defeat as a form of psychological resistance. By converting a political setback into a moral and identity-based victory, the marginalized group reclaims a sense of agency and pride, even when facing a dominant power.
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Overview of The Culture of Defeat Framed as Victory in the Iranian (Persian) Mindset
In this article, Umud Duzgun examines a recurring cultural and political phenomenon in Iran: the tendency to reinterpret experiences of loss or injustice as moral or symbolic victories. This mindset, deeply rooted in both Persian historical narratives and Shiʿa religious culture, transforms collective defeats into sources of pride, resilience, and identity.
Duzgun pays particular attention to the experience of Azerbaijani Turks in Iran, who have long faced systemic marginalization under the centralized Persian state. He argues that when state power manipulates outcomes—whether political, social, or even sporting—these communities respond by reframing the imposed defeat as confirmation of oppression, thereby reinforcing their shared identity and resistance.
A striking case study is the 2015 “stolen victory” of Tractor FC, when the popular Azerbaijani football club was denied a league championship through controversial refereeing and false match announcements. What might otherwise have been a demoralizing loss became a rallying cry against injustice, symbolizing a “victory stolen by the state.” Duzgun compares this to FC Barcelona’s role in Catalonia, showing how regional football clubs can embody suppressed national identities.
Ultimately, the article argues that the reframing of defeat as victory is a form of psychological resistance. By converting setbacks into moral triumphs, marginalized groups preserve dignity, reclaim agency, and maintain long-term opposition to central authority. This cultural lens continues to shape Iranian society and politics today, where every “defeat” may, paradoxically, strengthen the resolve for self-determination.
When AI Summarizes My Work: The Culture of Defeat Framed as Victory in the Iranian (Persian) Mindset
Recently, I noticed that AI tools like Google’s AI Overview and AI Deep View have begun summarizing my article The Culture of Defeat Framed as Victory in the Iranian (Persian) Mindset, published on Medium. What’s fascinating is how differently they approached it.
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The AI Overview offered a broad guess based on the title: themes of Persian identity, Shiʿa martyrdom culture, and reframing loss as spiritual victory.
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The AI Deep View, however, went further. It picked up on my specific case study of Tractor FC’s 2015 “stolen victory”, and connected it directly to my cultural analysis. In doing so, it merged two strands of my work — the historical-cultural mindset and the lived political symbolism of sport — into one coherent thread.
This unexpected AI synthesis highlighted exactly what I intended: how abstract cultural patterns of “defeat as victory” are embodied in concrete events that shape collective identity and resistance.
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