US lifts sanctions on Russian oil as Trump derides Iran’s leaders as ‘deranged scumbags’
Analysis Summary
This article uses strong emotional language and an 'us vs. them' mentality to convince readers that military action against Iran is necessary and that its leaders are 'deranged scumbags.' It downplays economic concerns while emphasizing a perceived threat from Iran, leaving out crucial historical context and alternative viewpoints on diplomacy or the impact of sanctions.
Cross-Outlet PSYOP Detected
This article is part of a narrative being pushed across multiple outlets:
FATE Analysis
Four dimensions of psychological manipulation: how content captures Focus, exploits Authority, triggers Tribal identity, and engineers Emotion.
Focus signals
"Updated March 13, 2026 — 9:20pm,first published 6:31pm"
The explicit timestamp and 'Updated' framing create a sense of immediacy and urgency, suggesting new developments are unfolding rapidly and demanding attention.
"Still, the move represents a significant concession to Vladimir Putin’s Russia, which is benefiting from as much as $US150 million ($212 million) a day in additional taxes from oil exports due to the US-Israeli war on Iran, according to new calculations by The Financial Times."
Highlighting a 'significant concession' and 'new calculations' from a reputable source like The Financial Times creates a novelty spike, suggesting a major, previously unrevealed implication of the policy change.
"and we are doing so with a force, the like of which has not been seen before."
This statement by Netanyahu uses hyperbole to suggest an unprecedented level of military action, aiming to capture attention by implying something historically significant and new is occurring.
"Meanwhile, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first statement since succeeding his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in one of the initial strikes nearly two weeks ago."
The 'first statement' from a 'new Supreme Leader' after a dramatic event like his father's killing is a clear novelty spike designed to grab and hold reader attention.
Authority signals
"US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a temporary authorisation..."
The article uses the official title and action of a high-ranking government official to lend weight and credibility to the information, implying the information is legitimate and sanctioned.
"according to new calculations by The Financial Times."
Citing 'new calculations' from 'The Financial Times' (a well-respected economic publication) leverages its perceived expertise and reliability in financial analysis to bolster the claim about Russia's daily benefits.
"Data analytics firm Kpler estimated there were about 130 million barrels of Russian crude oil at sea last week..."
Referencing 'Data analytics firm Kpler' provides a seemingly objective, data-driven basis for the estimate, using the firm's perceived authority in analytics to support the factual claim.
"US Central Command confirmed the incident involved two aircraft..."
Attributing confirmation to 'US Central Command' leverages the authority of a military command to establish the truthfulness of the incident details, rather than providing independent verification.
"according to a BBC translation."
Citing 'BBC translation' lends the weight of a major, trusted news organization to the accuracy of the quote from the Iranian Supreme Leader.
"The New York Times reported Iran had begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, citing a US official."
The double layer of authority (The New York Times reporting, citing a US official) is used to validate a potentially alarming claim, leveraging the credibility of both the media outlet and government source.
"The United Nations refugee agency says more than 3 million people have been displaced in Iran since the start of the war."
Citing the 'United Nations refugee agency' provides a highly authoritative, humanitarian source for disaster statistics, making the numbers seem undisputed and dire.
Tribe signals
"Trump also urged the US Federal Fed to cut interest rates immediately, rather than waiting for its next scheduled meeting. BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping [sic] an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won’t ever let that happen!"
Trump's statement directly frames Iran as an 'evil Empire' that threatens to 'destroy the Middle East and, indeed, the World.' This creates a clear 'us' (US/Trump protecting the world) versus 'them' (evil Iran) dichotomy, weaponizing the idea of Iran as an existential threat.
"The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, claimed responsibility for downing the plane."
By explicitly identifying the group claiming responsibility as 'Iran-backed,' the article links a hostile action directly to Iran, reinforcing the idea of Iran as a hostile 'other' and aligning it with violent proxies against 'us' (US forces).
"Ongoing attacks didn’t deter thousands of people from taking to the streets for Quds Day, with crowds chanting “death to Israel” and “death to America”."
Reporting chants of 'death to Israel' and 'death to America' directly establishes an adversarial relationship, portraying Iranian demonstrators (and by extension, Iran) as unequivocally against 'us' (US) and a close ally (Israel).
"“Iran will not refrain from avenging the blood of its martyrs,” Khamenei said... He also vowed to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and the Gulf states, through which a fifth of the world’s oil supplies ordinarily moves."
Khamenei's vow of 'avenging the blood of its martyrs' and threatening to block a vital global oil passage explicitly positions Iran as an antagonist ready for retaliation against the unnamed 'us' who caused their martyrs, creating a strong 'us vs. them' dynamic with global economic implications.
"Trump derided Iran’s leaders as “deranged scumbags” and said it was his great honour to kill them. “They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honour it is to do so!”"
Trump's dehumanizing language ('deranged scumbags') and boast about 'killing them' creates an extreme us-vs-them scenario, portraying the 'us' (US, Trump) as righteous executioners against an inherently evil 'them' (Iranian leaders who have 'been killing innocent people'). This demonizes the 'other' to rally the 'us'.
"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had “added another goal” to the mission: to create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow the “terrible, tyrannical regime” in Tehran."
Netanyahu's statement frames the conflict not just as state-vs-state, but as a liberator ('us') working to free an oppressed people from a 'terrible, tyrannical regime' ('them'). This creates internal divisions within Iran (people vs. regime) while simultaneously positioning the US/Israel as the 'good' external force.
Emotion signals
"Trump also urged the US Federal Fed to cut interest rates immediately, rather than waiting for its next scheduled meeting. BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping [sic] an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won’t ever let that happen!"
Trump's statement directly uses fear by positing Iran as an 'evil Empire' seeking 'Nuclear Weapons' and threatening to 'destroy the Middle East and, indeed, the World.' This rhetoric aims to evoke extreme fear of a catastrophic global threat, positioning his actions as the sole defense.
"The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, claimed responsibility for downing the plane. The Pentagon said rescue efforts were ongoing, but US Central Command confirmed four US service personnel had died."
The sequential reporting of an 'Iran-backed' group claiming responsibility for downing a US plane, followed immediately by the confirmation of 'four US service personnel had died,' directly ties a hostile act to a foreign power and emphasizes the human cost, designed to generate outrage at the perceived aggression against US forces.
"Trump derided Iran’s leaders as “deranged scumbags” and said it was his great honour to kill them. “They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honour it is to do so!”"
Trump's declaration that he is 'killing them' because 'They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years' constructs a strong narrative of moral superiority. It frames the action as a righteous, honorable retribution against an inherently evil enemy, aiming to evoke a feeling of justice and moral vindication in the reader.
"He also vowed to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and the Gulf states, through which a fifth of the world’s oil supplies ordinarily moves."
The threat of blocking the Strait of Hormuz, explicitly stating it carries 'a fifth of the world’s oil supplies,' is designed to engineer fear of significant global economic disruption and energy shortages, directly impacting readers' sense of stability and prosperity.
"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had “added another goal” to the mission: to create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow the “terrible, tyrannical regime” in Tehran."
Netanyahu's framing of the Iranian government as a 'terrible, tyrannical regime' is designed to evoke outrage and moral condemnation against it, positioning the military action as a benevolent effort to free an oppressed populace.
"He also made a thinly veiled threat to kill the country’s new supreme leader, as well as the secretary-general of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem. “I wouldn’t issue life insurance policies on any of the leaders of the terrorist organisations … I don’t intend to provide an exact account here about what we are planning or what we are going to do,” Netanyahu said."
Netanyahu's implied threat against the lives of leaders of 'terrorist organisations' (which he has broadly applied to Iranian figures and Hezbollah) is intended to generate a sense of imminent danger and fear for these figures, and by extension heighten the perceived stakes and ruthlessness of the conflict.
"The remarks came as the death toll from the conflict rose to more than 2000, mostly in Iran. Almost 700 of those deaths were in southern Lebanon, where Israel has continued launching strikes at Hezbollah targets, displacing close to 800,000 people."
While reporting casualties is factual, presenting the large numbers of 'more than 2000 deaths' (mostly in Iran) and 'displacing close to 800,000 people' is meant to evoke a strong emotional response of sadness, horror, and outrage, particularly given the context of a conflict driven by the powerful actors discussed.
Narrative Analysis (PCP)
How the article reshapes thinking: Perception (what beliefs are targeted), Context (what information is shifted or omitted), and Permission (what behavior is being encouraged).
The article aims to instill the belief that the US-Israeli joint military action against Iran is a necessary, albeit complex, response to an 'evil Empire' seeking nuclear weapons, and that the leaders of Iran are 'deranged scumbags' who deserve to be killed. It also attempts to make the reader believe that the economic consequences, such as rising oil prices, are either beneficial to the US or a secondary concern compared to regional security.
The article shifts the context from a situation where diplomatic solutions or de-escalation might be considered, to one where military confrontation and regime change are presented as the primary, and perhaps only, viable options. It sets a frame where US and Israeli actions are presented as reactive to Iranian aggression (nuclear ambitions, 'evil' actions, Strait of Hormuz threat) rather than proactive or part of a broader, long-term geopolitical strategy.
The article omits significant historical context regarding the US-Iran relationship, the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) and its abrogation by the US, the impact of prior sanctions on the Iranian populace, and the broader regional power dynamics and historical grievances that may contribute to Iran's actions. It also largely omits the perspectives of international bodies or other major global powers that might advocate for diplomacy or express concern over the escalation, focusing almost exclusively on US, Israeli, and Iranian perspectives, with brief mentions of France and UN statistics on displacement.
The article implicitly grants permission for readers to accept and support aggressive military actions, including targeted killings of foreign leaders, as legitimate and honorable. It also encourages a dismissive attitude towards the economic consequences for non-US citizens or domestic economic pressures compared to security objectives, and to view the Iranian regime as one that warrants overthrow, possibly through external intervention.
SMRP Pattern
Four manipulation maintenance tactics: Socializing the idea as normal, Minimizing concerns, Rationalizing with logic, and Projecting blame.
"“The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money,” he posted on social media."
"“BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping [sic] an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won’t ever let that happen!”"
"“They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honour it is to do so!”"
Red Flags
High-severity indicators: silencing dissent, coordinated messaging, or weaponizing identity to shut down debate.
"Trump derided Iran’s leaders as “deranged scumbags” and said it was his great honour to kill them. “We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time – Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today,” Trump said. ... Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had “added another goal” to the mission: to create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow the “terrible, tyrannical regime” in Tehran. ... Netanyahu also made a thinly veiled threat to kill the country’s new supreme leader, as well as the secretary-general of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem. “I wouldn’t issue life insurance policies on any of the leaders of the terrorist organisations … I don’t intend to provide an exact account here about what we are planning or what we are going to do,” Netanyahu said."
Techniques Found(7)
Specific propaganda techniques identified using the SemEval-2023 academic taxonomy of 23 techniques across 6 categories.
"“BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping [sic] an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won’t ever let that happen!”"
Trump appeals to the value of global safety and peace by framing the action against Iran as preventing a global catastrophe, justifying his stance and actions as necessary to protect the world.
"“BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping [sic] an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won’t ever let that happen!”"
The phrase 'evil Empire, Iran' uses emotionally charged language to demonize Iran and its government, disproportionately framing it as an existential threat.
"Trump derided Iran’s leaders as “deranged scumbags” and said it was his great honour to kill them."
The terms 'deranged scumbags' are highly pejorative and emotionally charged, designed to provoke a strong negative reaction against Iran's leaders rather than offer a rational critique.
"“We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time – Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today,” Trump said."
Trump's statement about 'unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time' is an exaggeration of military capability and resolve, intended to project an image of overwhelming dominance.
"“They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honour it is to do so!”"
Trump attempts to justify his actions by invoking a sense of moral rectitude in avenging the deaths of 'innocent people,' framing his actions as honorable and righteous.
"to create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow the “terrible, tyrannical regime” in Tehran."
The description of the Iranian government as a 'terrible, tyrannical regime' uses emotionally charged and negative labels to discredit and demonize it, influencing perception rather than neutrally describing its governance.
"“I wouldn’t issue life insurance policies on any of the leaders of the terrorist organisations … I don’t intend to provide an exact account here about what we are planning or what we are going to do,” Netanyahu said."
Netanyahu labels leaders as belonging to 'terrorist organisations,' which serves to discredit them and justify potential actions against them without specific evidence in the quote.