From June 21-23, 2025, China engaged in an extensive information operation (IO) effort to shape the narrative around the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities (Operation Midnight Hammer). This involved 1,093 posts on X and 2,861 posts on Weibo by PRC government-affiliated accounts, which included neutral reporting and content portraying the U.S. as escalating regional conflicts.
Concurrently, Chinese censors removed posts from netizens that expressed anger at Washington’s request for Beijing’s involvement in pressuring Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. It is most likely that China’s primary IO objective is to reinforce its narrative that U.S. military actions destabilize regions, a common propaganda tactic used to criticize the U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific.
Domestically, the censorship aims to suppress discussions about China’s role in the conflict, preventing public opinion from forming on Beijing’s stance, which could lead to questions about its relationship with Tehran or pressure for military intervention.
