Iran Special: Photoshop Propaganda With Lots of Missiles (and Jar Jar Binks!)

Hat tip to The Atlantic for the find....

You never know when your past propaganda efforts are going to rear up and bite you on the backside. 

Indeed, the editors of the prominent Iranian website Mehr may still not know this.

On Friday, Mehr illustrated a reassuring story about Iran's missile programme --- "French official: No Threat of Europe" --- with an archive photograph of lots of those missiles.

First problem? The image is a Photoshop. In fact, it's not just a Photoshop, it's a Photoshop of a Photoshop.

In 2008, to big up its strong (if not threatening) military, Iran's Revolutionary Guards added an extra missile to an image of a test:

With the belief, "If You are Going to Add One, Why Not Add Lots?", the website What the Crap? updated the photograph:

This is the photograph that, probably at the hands of a Mehr editor rushed for time, became "news" once more for Friday.

Which brings us to the second problem --- this was not just an ordinary Extra Missile Photoshop.

Take a good look at the bottom of the picture. A Really Good Look --- just left-of-center. Notice a happy intruder amongst the missiles?

Still wondering?

That's right --- perhaps the best-loved of all Star Wars characters, Mr Jar Jar Binks.

Perhaps we're being too hard on Mehr. As The Atlantic notes, 4 May is not just any old day for thoughts about missiles. It is Star Wars Day, 35 years after the first of the films was first released. Perhaps a staffer at Mehr wanted to pay tribute?

OK, perhaps not. Still, I for one can't wait to see Princess Leia alongside the Supreme Leader in the near-future.