A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for the purpose of profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be very untrustworthy and should be fact-checked on a per-article basis. Please note sources on this list are not considered fake news unless specifically written in the reasoning section for that source. See all Questionable sources.
QUESTIONABLE SOURCE
- Overall, we rate Mehr News Agency as Questionable based on using poor sources and promoting state propaganda and anti-west conspiracy theories.
Detailed Report
Reasoning: Poor Sourcing, State Propaganda, Conspiracy
Bias Rating: RIGHT
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: Iran
Press Freedom Rating: TOTAL OPPRESSION
Media Type: News Agency
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: LOW CREDIBILITY
History
Launched in 2003, Mehr News Agency is an Iranian news agency based in Tehran-Iran. Mehr News Agency and the Russian Sputnik news agency have signed a cooperation agreement in 2018 to share news and analysis products. Mehr News Agency wires its news in the 6 languages of Persian, English, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu, and German. They provide domestic, political, culture and art, world news, and also include commentary, national politics, and opinions.
Read our report on how Government influences media in Iran.
Funded by / Ownership
The owner is the Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization (IIDO), and Ali Asgari is the CEO/Managing Director of the Mehr News Agency (MNA).
Analysis / Bias
Reporters Without Borders has reported Iran as “One of the most oppressive countries” According to a Reporters Without Borders 2019 report, Iran ranks 170 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index.
According to their about page “International daily newspaper, Tehran Times with more than three decades of its publication is affiliated with MNA.” The Tehran Times is known as a Pro-Government media outlet. The President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani has moved to the left, placing himself with the reformists during the elections, but he is still the leader of the Moderation and Development Party, which is classified as “moderate reformists” “modernist right” or “Republican Right.”
In review, the content of headlines and articles uses loaded words pertaining to national news, such as “US ‘failed global leader’ after USSR collapse” and “Jewish MP says Iranian Jews ready, united to defend Iran.” Further, they poorly source their articles by either heavily quoting or utilizing factually mixed right-biased Iranian sources such as Tasnim, Tehran Times, and Russian propaganda news media company Sputnik News.
In general, Mehr is a right-leaning pro-Government propaganda outlet that is not always factual.
Failed Fact Checks
Overall, we rate Mehr News Agency as Questionable based on using poor sources and promoting state propaganda and anti-west conspiracy theories. (M. Huitsing 5/30/2018) Updated (03/31/2023)
Source: https://en.mehrnews.com
Last Updated on March 31, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check
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