Anadolu Agency (English), on Iran, 26 September 2026

The headline editorialises, the legal stakes go unmentioned, and the civilian cost of sanctions is ignored.

out of 10, scored on 3 of 11 checks. Few checks applied, so read it with that in mind.

The double standard

The article names the US and Israel as the aggressors who started a war and caused thousands of deaths, then describes Iranian retaliation as attacks, applying different framing to the same category of military action depending on who carried it out.

How it builds, in War initiation and retaliation paragraph

Named actors, active voice: US and Israel launched war
On Feb. 28, the US and Israel launched a war against Iran that left thousands dead
Named actors in active voice, causal responsibility assigned
Iranian action framed as attacks, not war
while Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and US sites in countries across the region
Named actor but framed as reactive attacks rather than equivalent military action
Resumed hostilities: symmetrical framing obscures initiator
Washington and Tehran resumed their hosilities as talks stalled amid disagreements on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz
Both parties treated as equally responsible for resumption despite earlier attribution of initiation

The same decision, both sides

Word choice for military action: war versus attacks

The US and Israel's military action is described as launching a war, a term carrying full legal and moral weight of aggression.

the US and Israel launched a war against Iran that left thousands dead

Iran's military response is described merely as attacks, a narrower and more pejorative term that does not acknowledge equivalent scale or character.

Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and US sites in countries across the region

Causal framing of resumed conflict

The opening of the war is attributed clearly and solely to the US and Israel as named initiators.

the US and Israel launched a war against Iran

The resumption of hostilities after the interim deal is attributed symmetrically to both Washington and Tehran, erasing the earlier asymmetry of initiation.

Washington and Tehran resumed their hosilities as talks stalled

What a reader is left with. A reader is left with the impression that while the US and Israel bear clear responsibility for starting the war, Iran's military responses are merely attacks, and both sides are equally to blame for the conflict's continuation, softening the asymmetry the article itself established.

Iraq seeks exemption from US ban on Iranian flights

Iraq is engaged in direct talks with the US to exempt some Iraqi airports from US sanctions targeting Iranian airlines operating flights to regional hubs, officials said Saturday. The talks aim to secure an exemption “to allow flights to resume on humanitarian grounds related to medical treatment, education, religious visits, and interests of civilians," Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's office said in a statement on Facebook. "As the Iraqi government works to de-escalate tensions in the region, it emphasizes that the continuation of crises further complicates the situation," it said. The statement urged all parties to pursue dialogue and negotiations to resolve "the current crisis and conflicts, in a manner that serves the interests of the countries and peoples of the region." Earlier this week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said operations of Iranian airlines worldwide would come to a halt as of Sept. 23 under new sanctions. As part of the measure, Iranian flights were barred from operating in regional countries, including Oman, the UAE and Iraq. On Feb. 28, the US and Israel launched a war against Iran that left thousands dead, while Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and US sites in countries across the region. Despite a June interim deal to resolve the conflict, Washington and Tehran resumed their hosilities as talks stalled amid disagreements on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important strategic routes for energy and goods supplies.

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