It's not quite common for American television shows to be aired on Iranian state channels, but the country has made a big exception with the Netflix series " House of Cards ." And it's a small wonder why.
"'House of Cards' has been able to skilfully show the deception in the complicated political sphere of liberal American civilization, as well as treason, power-hungriness, promiscuities and crimes behind those ruling in the country," a hard-line website Mashregh wrote, according to the AP.
The highly-acclaimed show is a fictional drama that tells the story of Frank (Kevin Spacey) and Claire (Robin Wright) Underwood, a husband and wife duo, who rise through the ranks of United States politics, using a mix of cut-throat cunning, a dash of murder and a good deal of corruption, making it all the way (spoiler alert) to the White House.
"It shows how politics is dirty in the United States," Mohammad Kazemi, a student in Tehran, told the AP . "They do anything to reach power."
State-run Namayesh channel airs the series dubbed into Farsi every night at 11 p.m., calling it "Khaneh Poushaly" or "Straw House." The first season began airing in September, and while all the political intrigue is definitely uncut, sex scenes have been removed.
In a country where American culture is routinely denounced by top authorities and where the U.S. is often referred to as "The Great Satan," the Netflix series somehow serves as fitting propaganda to reinforce the state narrative. From portrayals of foreign policy, to terrorism to Washington political backstabbing, the series tells a less than flattering tale of American politics and leadership in the world.
For a series to be approved in Iran, it has to pass the censorship of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting corporation, whose chief is directly appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Another Iranian student told AP that she believes the government is airing the series in an effort to "prove" that U.S. politicians are deceitful.
Throughout Iran and despite the government's efforts at censorship, DVDs of American films and television series are readily available. Although the internet suffers from heavy censorship, people turn to VPNs to access blocked websites, allowing them to stream unavailable content as well.
Whatever the motivation behind the government's decision, some people are just happy there is something worth watching on state television.
"For me it is a chance to fill my spare time with a good TV series. Maybe it is also a chance for the TV to attract more people to Iranian channels," student Farnaz Rahmani said.