Manufacturing Despair: The AUSTRALIAN Newspaper’s Slanted War Coverage

Truth is King

 The Australian’s 25 June editorial, titled ‘Deal and the despair of the Iranians’, offers a delusional critique of the recent MoU signed between the US and Iran. It pushes a rigid ideological agenda by amplifying the deal’s flaws while completely burying the geopolitical context that necessitated it.

By evaluating the ceasefire purely through the lens of human rights and domestic Iranian politics, the editorial frames the 14-point MoU as a “betrayal” simply because it lacks democratic mandates. It weaponizes emotional rhetoric—such as the “despair of Iranians,” “morally wrong,” and “strategically misguided”—to indoctrinate Australian readers rather than inform them. Their goal is to funnel readers into an ideological echo chamber.

The editorial abandons all objective analysis, descending into intellectual dishonesty by attempting to represent a nation of 93 million people through just two fiercely anti-regime voices: Shokoofeh Azar and Reza Pahlavi. Elevating an exiled royal and a partisan journalist as the definitive voice of ordinary Iranians is absurd. These individuals represent specific Western-backed interests, not the complex reality of the domestic population. Neither figure holds the authority or demographic data required to speak for the Iranian public.

The editorial is intellectually bankrupt because it completely erases the alternative to the MoU which is a destructive military conflict. A balanced critique would acknowledge that the primary objective of a ceasefire is to stop the immediate slaughter and prevent regional escalation. By ignoring the catastrophic costs of continued warfare, The Australian betrays its marketing slogan, “Welcome to the contest of ideas“—it is pure farce. A more fraudulent claim is hard to imagine.

The strategic reality which The Australian tries to hide is simple: the MoU represents a comprehensive victory for Iran. Of the 14 points, all 14 favour Tehran while the U.S. is left with zero, meaning Iran won the war outright without sacrificing its sovereignty.

The editorial’s critique of the Strait of Hormuz completely flips cause and effect. The strait was open prior to the conflict and closed only due to the devastating war launched by the U.S. and Israel. Reopening the waterway is simply a return to the pre-war status quo, not a Western triumph. The nuclear clauses follow the same dishonest logic. Iran is merely recommitting to the same international inspections it faithfully followed before the Trump administration unilaterally shattered the original agreement.

The Australian continuously champions ‘Australian values,’ but never defines them. The phrase is pure marketing—acting merely as a vacant ideological gimmick.

Below is the 14-point MoU signed between Iran and the United States, complete with a brief accompanying analytical commentary. The text serves as a record of the MoU and its implications.

1. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war, by signing this MOU, declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon and other provisions of this paragraph.

This clause has already been violated; the war against Lebanon continues unabated, and Israel has explicitly stated it will not honour the agreement. For Israel, military operations will continue until Lebanon is destroyed.

2. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran undertake to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs.

President Trump violated this clause by threatening to resume hostilities and target the Iranian negotiating team in Switzerland. Demonstrating admirable restraint, the Iranian leadership has remained cool-headed and refused to reciprocate such threats.

3. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to negotiating and achieving the final deal in maximum 60 days extendable with mutual consent.

Iran wins.

4. Immediately upon the signing of this MOU, the United States of America will begin the removal of its naval blockade and any disturbances or impediments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, the traffic of vessels will be in proportion to the numbers of pre-war traffic being restored by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America further undertakes to remove its forces from the proximity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after the final deal. 

Iran wins.

5. Upon the signing of this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start, and considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles in de-mining by the Islamic Republic of Iran will be instated within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and Maritime Services Administrator Hormuz in discussion with other Persian Gulf states in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran wins.

6. The United States of America undertakes with regional partners to develop a definitive, mutually agreed plan with at least USD $300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The mechanism for the implementation of this plan will be finalized as part of a final deal within 60 days.

Iran wins.

7. The United States of America undertakes to terminate all types of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the United Nations Security Council resolutions, i.e. IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral US sanctions, primary and secondary, in an agreed upon schedule as part of the final deal. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America acknowledge the critical importance of the sanctions termination issue above mentioned, and expressed their intentions to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.

Iran wins.

8. The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpile enriched material pursuant to a mechanism that will be mutually agreed upon in accordance with the schedule mentioned in paragraph seven, with the minimum methodology to be down blending on site under the supervision of the IAEA. The two parties also agreed to discuss the issue of enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear needs, based on a satisfactory framework being agreed upon in the final deal. The final deal will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledge the critical importance of the nuclear issues above mentioned and express their intention to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.

Iran wins as Iran had already made such agreements commitments before the war. It was Trump that tore those agreements up.

9. Pending the final deal, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to maintain the status quo. The Islamic Republic of Iran will maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program, and the United States of America will not impose any distinctions and will not deploy additional forces in the region.

Iran wins

10. The United States of America undertakes that immediately upon the signing of this MOU and until the termination of sanctions, U.S. Department of Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurances, transportation, etc.

Iran wins

11. The United States of America undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Upon the implementation of this MOU, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will mutually agree on the procedures related to the release of these funds during the negotiations. Such funds, whether retained in the original account or transferred, shall be made fully usable for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America undertakes to issue all necessary licenses and authorizations accordingly.

Iran wins

12. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree that an executive mechanism will be established to monitor the successful implementation of this MOU and the future compliance of the final deal.

Iran wins

13. After signing this MOU and subject to the beginning of the implementation of paragraphs 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11 of this MOU, and the continuing implementation of these measures, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will start negotiations regarding the final deal exclusively on the other paragraphs.

Iran wins

14. The final deal will be endorsed by a binding United Nations Security Council resolution.

Iran wins

The ultimate outcome  defeat for theof the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran is a total West. Measured against the 14-point MoU, Iran has secured a strategic victory of 14 to 0. In percentage terms, Tehran has won 100 per cent of the strategic gains, leaving the U.S. and Israel with a score of zero.  It is not the Iranians who are in despair but the editorial team at The Australian and the US Government.

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