Iran criticises YouTube ban on LEGO-style war satire channel

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the ban imposed on the YouTube account making popular LEGO propaganda videos against Trump and Netanyahu's war on Iran, Al Jazeera reported. He said the ban was a move to suppress “the truth” about the US-Israel war on Iran. In a land that proudly hosts Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, and The Walt Disney Company, an independent animated YouTube channel — which had organically grown by depicting U.S. aggression & warmongering, and garnered millions of viewers — was abruptly shut down!! Why?! Simply to… pic.twitter.com/uCznwWgeNr — Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) April 13, 2026 “In a land that proudly hosts Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, and The Walt Disney Company, an independent animated YouTube channel – which had organically grown by depicting US aggression & warmongering, and garnered millions of viewers – was abruptly shut down!! Why?!” he posted on X on Monday. He said, “Simply to suppress the truth about their ‘illegal war’ on Iran and shield the American administration’s false narrative from any competing voice.” Read More: Iran deploys Lego-style animation in propaganda war with US, Israel Explosive Media, the producers of the AI-generated LEGO videos depicting Trump in varying states of distress over the war, said on X last week that YouTube suspended their account for “violent content”, while their other accounts remained unaffected. “Seriously! Are our LEGO-style animations actually violent?” Explosive Media said. Our YouTube channel just got taken down again for “violent content.” Seriously! are our LEGO-style animations actually violent? — Explosive Media (@ExplosiveMediaa) April 9, 2026 One of their recent clips was on debunking 'Western myths' about Iranians' access to the internet and artificial intelligence amidst destruction, making note of the Iranian math professor from Tehran's Sharif University teaching an online class in a ruined classroom in the aftermath of a US attack. "We don't stop learning — even under bombs," the post read. Western media wonders how Iranians make these Lego-style animations. “Do they even have AI?” They don’t get this: We don’t stop learning—even under bombs. "In honor of Dr. Zarei, the Sharif University professor who held his class even in a bombed lecture hall." pic.twitter.com/e2Ltk3G5Mj — Explosive Media (@ExplosiveMediaa) April 13, 2026 Other examples include depicting the United States downfall under Trump in a myriad of ways, as well as Trump's ties to disgraced financier and registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 🇮🇷 NEW Lego Style Music Video from Iran via Uknown Studios Titled: The Professor VS The Dog "The Art of the Steal" https://t.co/9zD7iIOAKR pic.twitter.com/LqEANW7k4k — Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) April 11, 2026 These videos act as a counternarrative to the Trump administration's 'meme-ification'/gamification of the war with Iran, posting live footage of attacking Iranian targets. They quickly circulated online, highlighting how artificial intelligence is being used as a tool of political messaging and satire in modern conflicts. According to Axios, with two weeks into Operation Epic Fury, much of the White House's online messaging resembles online trolling — a stream of videos splicing real missile strikes with footage from Call of Duty, Wii Sports and Hollywood blockbusters. The war with Iran began on February 28, and despite a fragile ceasefire, there is no clarity on Trump's exit strategy, despite the urgency stemming from threats to global trade.