In the era of globalization, national branding at the international level carries great significance, as it can create a strategic competitive advantage in interactions with other states. Sputnik news agency, functioning as one of the instruments of Russia’s public diplomacy on the international stage and operating in multiple languages, has attracted a substantial Persian-speaking audience to its Persian-language platforms. In this context, the twelve-day war of aggression against Iran provided a suitable opportunity for Sputnik to pursue activities aimed at promoting Russia’s national brand and influencing Iranian public opinion in that direction. Using content analysis combined with thematic-network analysis, this study sought to answer the question: what public-diplomacy strategies did the Telegram channel of the state media outlet Sputnik Iran employ for Russia’s national branding among Persian-speaking audiences during the period of the war? Ultimately, five overarching themes related to Russia’s branding were identified in the messages of this state channel: Russia as civilized; Russia as rational and moderate; Russia’s power; the robust relations between Iran and Russia; and the West’s efforts to preserve its hegemony. These pervasive themes are interpreted as part of Russia’s “othering” of the West and the United States and as an attempt to reinforce Russia’s soft power.