US 'information operation' in Iran exposed by former CIA analyst

Chilling details regarding how the US is already operating within Iran have been brought forward by a former CIA analyst, who revealed an extensive information operation. According to the analyst, as part of the American campaign for regime change in Iran, the US military and intelligence community are utilizing "Operational Preparation of the Environment" (OPE). OPE is defined in joint published manuals (e.g., JP 3-05 Special Operations) as non-intelligence activities conducted prior to or in preparation for potential military operations, aimed at creating conditions for success. It involves shaping the operational environment through intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, information operations, civil affairs, psychological operations, and other preparatory actions—often in hard-to-monitor or politically sensitive areas.

Propaganda

One of the largest efforts of OPE is to convince the American public that the vast majority of Iranians dislike the Islamic Republic and wish to overthrow it. A key factor in this operation is the polling institute GAMAAN. GAMAAN (Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran) collaborates with Psiphon VPN, which is widely used in Iran. GAMAAN’s results have consistently shown a picture of massive opposition to the Iranian regime. According to GAMAAN polls prior to 2025, a significant majority of Iranians—approximately 70%—oppose the continuation of the Islamic Republic. The highest level of opposition, 81%, was recorded during the "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising in late 2022. Support for "the principles of the Islamic Revolution and the Supreme Leader" has reportedly dropped from 18% in 2022 to 11% in 2024. Opposition to the Islamic Republic is highest among the youth, urban residents, and the highly educated. The vast majority of Iranians (89%) support democracy, while only about 20% support the continuation of the current regime. When asked for preferred alternatives, roughly 26% supported a secular republic and about 21% supported a monarchy. For 11%, the specific form of the alternative system does not matter, while about 22% stated they lacked sufficient information to choose.

Funding

But what are the funding sources for GAMAAN and Psiphon VPN? Let's start with GAMAAN. It describes itself as an independent, non-profit research foundation registered in the Netherlands. It emphasizes its academic credentials (founded by academics from Dutch universities such as Tilburg and Utrecht) and its innovative online methods (anonymity via VPNs like Psiphon) to combat self-censorship in authoritarian regimes. GAMAAN operates under the supervision of a board that includes Dr. Ammar Maleki (founder and director), an assistant professor of comparative politics at Tilburg University, and Dr. Pooyan Tamimi Arab, an associate professor of secular and religious studies at Utrecht University. Maleki is a pro-democracy activist and political analyst of the Iranian political system. Notably, he does not hide his political stance—his Tilburg University profile states that he is a "supporter of democracy and political analyst of Iranian politics" seeking "to influence political debates surrounding the democratization of Iran."

Dark paths

This is where the picture becomes more controversial. GAMAAN has relied on the US government-funded VPN provider Psiphon to distribute its polls, has worked with the Tony Blair Institute (which is funded by USAID), and has collaborated with and received funding from historian Ladan Boroumand, co-founder of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, which is in turn supported by the US government-funded National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Psiphon is owned and operated by Psiphon Inc., a Canadian company based in Ontario. It was originally developed by Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, with version 1.0 released on December 1, 2006, as open-source software. In late 2007, Psiphon Inc. was established as a Canadian company independent of Citizen Lab and the University of Toronto.

Congressional approval

The funding history of Psiphon is remarkable. In 2008, Psiphon received grants from the US Department of State's "Internet Freedom" program, managed by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. In 2010, it began providing services to the US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the US Department of State, and the BBC. More recently, in April 2024, the Open Technology Fund (OTF) announced increased funding for Psiphon, with subsequent OTF grants reaching $18.54 million for 2024 and $5.87 million for 2025. The Open Technology Fund (OTF) is managed by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), an independent federal agency of the US government. The USAGM provides the primary funding for the OTF through annual grants derived from Congressional appropriations for the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. The OTF operates as an independent non-profit (since 2019) but remains a grantee under the oversight and governance of the USAGM, as authorized by Congress. Thus, while Psiphon Inc. is technically an independent Canadian company, it has historically been heavily funded by the US government and other Western institutions—a fact worth noting given its role as a method partner in GAMAAN's polling in Iran. In other words, it is a mediator supporting a CIA information operation to present Iran as a country on the brink of overturning the Islamic Republic.

A different picture

There is an alternative polling database that presents an entirely different picture of the climate in Iran regarding the Islamic Republic. The Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) has conducted a separate series of polls using telephone-based methods, which show more moderate results. Their results from 2023 and 2024 showed that approximately 75% of respondents expect the Constitution and the political system of Iran to remain roughly the same over the next ten years, while only 17% agree with protesters' calls to replace the Islamic Republic. However, three in five now believe the government should not be strict in enforcing Islamic laws—a significant increase since 2018—while support for combating corruption remains almost unanimous. Regarding the protests, when asked in 2024 to reflect on the demonstrations of the last decade, two-thirds stated that the main goal was to demand greater attention from officials to the people's problems, while only one in five believed the goal was to demand more freedoms or to cause a change in Iran's governing system.

National unity increased

President Pezeshkian, according to 2024 polls, was viewed positively by 66% of respondents at the beginning of his term, and 70% expressed confidence that he would be an honest and reliable president, though only a quarter were "very confident." Majorities expressed some confidence that he could improve relations with neighboring countries and protect civil liberties, particularly women's rights, but majorities are not confident that he can reduce inflation or improve relations with the West. There have been no new polls since Israel's surprise attack on June 13, 2025. According to my discussions with Nima and Professor Marandi, the reaction in Iran was similar to that observed in the US after the September 11 attacks; national unity increased.

The role of the color revolution

The failed "color revolution" launched on December 28, 2025, by the US and Israel strengthened support for the Islamic Republic. President Pezeshkian openly admitted his government's failures on the economic front and has taken some steps toward implementing reforms. A more significant event was the signing of the Trilateral Security Agreement with Russia and China in late January. These two countries are now providing more resources and support to stabilize the Iranian government and improve the economic situation of the Iranian people.

The role of Trump

The threats from Donald Trump to attack Iran have the opposite impact on the vast majority of the Iranian population. Yes, there are some Iranians who still want the Islamic Republic to end, but they are dramatically fewer. Recall the surge in popularity George W. Bush enjoyed after the September 11 attacks; even Democrats who hated him supported him. This same phenomenon occurred in Iran. Before the June 13, 2025 attack, Iranians under 50 had no living memory of the Iran-Iraq War—where Iran was attacked with the encouragement and support of the US. The June 2025 attack, combined with the protests and violence incited from abroad in late December 2025, awakened a new patriotism in the Iranian people that bolstered support for the Islamic Republic. The belief in the West that Iran is more vulnerable than ever in the last 46 years is the result of a US-funded propaganda campaign that relied on a politically biased pollster to produce results used to convince most Americans that Iran yearns for freedom... and that all it takes is to eliminate the leadership in Iran.

www.bankingnews.gr