Iranian cartoonists fire back with satirical blows in ‘Muzzle’ exhibition
Iranian artists launched a group exhibition of political cartoons and caricatures on Monday, using humor to push back against what organizers described as "foreign aggression" by Israel and the United States.
The show, titled ‘Muzzle’, opened at the Abolfazl Aali Gallery at the Art Bureau in central Tehran, just days after a tense ceasefire ended a 12-day military flare-up, ISNA reported.
The exhibition features 82 works by prominent Iranian cartoonists, including Seyyed Masoud Shojaei Tabatabaei, Mohammad Hossein Niroumand, Maziar Bijani, and Mohammad Ali Rajabi. According to the Art Bureau’s Visual Arts Center, the pieces tackle what they called a "media and military war" waged against Iran.
“This is a tribute to truth,” said Shojaei Tabatabai, the show’s curator. “In these difficult days, our society came under serious attack from outside, and the artists rose to the occasion.”
The cartoons use sharp visual metaphors, many mocking Western leaders, to portray recent events and Iran’s response. Shojaei called the medium “a global language,” one that “delivers deep messages with a dose of humor.” He added that even Iranian artists abroad had contacted organizers after seeing the work, asking to contribute.
‘Muzzle’ is meant as both a literal and symbolic response to political threats, censorship, and foreign narratives, organizers said.
The exhibition was organized by the Visual Arts Center of the Art Bureau, a body linked to Iran’s Islamic Development Organization. It drew high-profile cultural figures to its opening, including Mohammad-Mehdi Dadman, head of the Art Bureau; Shabab Shakiba, director of the Visual Arts Center; and Mostafa Momenirad, director of the Islamic Architecture Center. Resistance literature expert Morteza Sarhangi and language advocate Nasser Feiz also attended.
In a statement released at the opening, curators described the show as “a thunderous response to nonsense, sanctions and violations,” citing recent quotes from Iran’s Leader. One cartoon reportedly reflects the Leader’s phrase, “We crushed Israel,” following recent strikes.
The works are expected to go far beyond gallery walls. Shojaei said the team is working with Tehran's Beautification Organization and metro authorities to display select cartoons in public spaces like billboards and subway stations. Plans are also underway to adapt the artworks into motion graphics, short animations, and promotional teasers for distribution on national and international media in Persian, English, and Arabic.
“This is just the beginning,” Shojaei said. “We’re tapping into citywide advertising, social media, and television to make sure this message is heard.”
Cartoonist Hossein Youzbashi, who contributed two pieces to the show, said artists “have a duty to reflect the truth through symbolic and artistic language.” His work aims to capture “layers of reality the enemy tries to distort.”
The exhibition runs from July 1 to July 15, Saturday through Wednesday, at the Abolfazl Aali Gallery.
Organizers hope the project becomes part of a larger effort, called Dot-Strike, to document and amplify artistic responses to geopolitical tension. A portion of the exhibition will appear in future media campaigns and educational initiatives.
While the tone is satirical, the message is clear: Iran may not fire the first shot, but artists will not stay silent.