Ma`rifat Farhangi Ejtemaei

Cultural infiltration, particularly following the emphasis placed by the Supreme Leader in recent decades, has become one of the key concepts in the political and cultural discourse of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This article analyzes the discourse of the Supreme Leader regarding cultural infiltration, with a focus on soft tools such as media, education, art, and lifestyle. The theories of Joseph Nye on "soft power" and Antonio Gramsci on "cultural hegemony" serve as the theoretical frameworks for examining cultural infiltration, employing a descriptive-analytical method. In this article, soft power is introduced as a means of influence through cultural and media attractions, while cultural hegemony is explained as an indirect domination exerted through media, elites, and education. The findings of the study indicate that cultural infiltration is a complex, creeping, and multi-layered project aimed at altering the mindset and lifestyle of society. In response to this infiltration, countering it through "jihad of explanation" (jihad-e tabyin), nurturing committed elites, and promoting an Islamic lifestyle appears essential. These strategies can be implemented within the framework of the country's cultural engineering roadmap, fostering societal resilience against cultural infiltration.