Mehr News Agency
Iranian news agency owned by the state Islamic Development Organization
Mehr News Agency is a news agency founded on 22 June 2003 and based in Tehran. It publishes in Persian, English, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and Kurdish. It is owned by the Islamic Development Organization, a state body under the supervision of the Supreme Leader, and is described as a semi-official agency sponsored by the Iranian government; its director is selected by the Supreme Leader. Mohammad Mahdi Rahmati has been chief executive since 2023.Sources:1Wikipedia: Mehr News Agency, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)2Wikipedia: Islamic Development Organization, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
Who it favours
Our reading of 1 article by Mehr News Agency on stories with competing sides. A story counts only when two signals point the same way; balanced coverage counts too. How we decide.
- Iranfavoured in 1 of 1 story (too few stories yet)
See the evidence
- Iran's president says many struggle for food as Tehran offers to reopen Hormuz if US lifts blockade (24 Oct 2026)
"US merely dream of returning to Persian Gulf: Iran's top gen."- Leads with one side: "Under no circumstances will we allow rusting US warships to re-enter the Persian Gulf." Opens with the Iranian general's claim and his loaded term 'rusting'.
- Uses one side's terms: "The proud and powerful Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have rendered the US Navy ineffective" Unverified Iranian claim with no US response; the WSJ-reported US rearming (Arab Times) is absent.
- Iran's president says many struggle for food as Tehran offers to reopen Hormuz if US lifts blockade (24 Oct 2026)
Who controls it
Whoever owns an outlet, provides most of its money or directs it controls it. Our rule.
- ConfirmedControlled by Iran's government, through the Islamic Development Organization (owner) · Controlled by a government (its owner) Sources:1Wikipedia: Mehr News Agency, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)2Wikipedia: Islamic Development Organization, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
- ConfirmedControlled by Iran's Supreme Leader, who selects its director (director) · Controlled by a government (its owner) Sources:1Wikipedia: Mehr News Agency, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
Owners, funders and directors
- OwnerIslamic Development OrganizationOwner; a state body under the supervision of the Supreme Leader of Iran Sources:1Wikipedia: Mehr News Agency, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)2Wikipedia: Islamic Development Organization, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
- Government of Iran: State body under the supervision of the Supreme Leader of Iran Sources:Wikipedia: Islamic Development Organization, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)Wikipedia: Mehr News Agency, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
- OwnerGovernment of IranSponsors the agency through the Islamic Development Organization; the Supreme Leader selects its director Sources:1Wikipedia: Mehr News Agency, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
- Islamic Development Organization: State body under the supervision of the Supreme Leader of Iran Sources:Wikipedia: Islamic Development Organization, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)Wikipedia: Mehr News Agency, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
- DirectorMohammad Mahdi RahmatiChief executive and director general since 2023 Sources:1Wikipedia: Mehr News Agency, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
As documented, nearest first. Each note says what the source supports.
How we use it
1 story cites Mehr News Agency directly.
October 2026
- Iran's president says many struggle for food as Tehran offers to reopen Hormuz if US lifts blockadeMasoud Pezeshkian said many Iranians struggle to put food on the table, Iran's envoy to Pakistan said Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the US lifted its blockade, and a US carrier was reported rearming for possible strikes.
Outside left–right raters
For comparison only. Western raters place outlets on a left–right line, which says nothing about whom they favour in a given story or who funds them; our own tally is above.
Media Bias/Fact Check: Right (checked 24 Oct 2026)
Sources
- 1
- 2
- 3