News Brief: How Decades of Media Distortions and Lies about "Iran's Nuclear Program" Led to War
In this News Brief, we discuss a recent poll showing 70% of Americans are fundamentally wrong about Iran's "nuclear program"—including 1 in 4 who think Iran currently possesses a nuke—and detail how decades of sleazy media innuendo and lies got us here.
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Show Notes
How a Media Campaign of Lies and Innuendo Created the Myth of "Iran's Nuclear Weapons"
Adam Johnson | March 24, 2026 | The Real News Network
'The Goal Is to Put the Words "Iran" and "Nuclear" in the Same Sentence'
Janine Jackson with Adam Johnson | July 8, 2025 | Counterspin
Lawmakers and Pundits Speed Run Iraq WMDs-Level Lies About Iran
Sarah Lazare and Adam Johnson | June 22, 2025 | The Column
Israel says Iran was racing toward a nuclear weapon. US intel says it was years away
Katie Bo Lillis and Zachary Cohen | June 17, 2025 | CNN
Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community
U.S. Director of National Intelligence | March 2025
Challenges in Nuclear Verification
International Atomic Energy Agency | April 5, 2019
No, LA Times, That's Not What Nuclear 'Breakout Time' Means
Nima Shirazi | August 8, 2017 | Wide Asleep in America
Poll: 30% of GOP voters support bombing Agrabah, the city from Aladdin
Jana Kasperkevic | December 18, 2015 | The Guardian
IAEA Board Adopts Landmark Resolution on Iran PMD Case
Rodolfo Quevenco, IAEA Office of Public information and Communication | December 15, 2015
Rattling Sabers & Beating Drums: Fear-Mongering over Nuclear Iran Reaches a Fever-Pitch
Nima Shirazi | November 7, 2011 | Wide Asleep in America
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Transcript
For a full transcript of this News Brief, go here. You can also find transcripts of past episodes, live shows, Beg-a-Thons, Interviews and News Briefs here.
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Credits
Senior Producer: Florence Barrau-Adams
Producer: Julianne Tveten
Production Assistant: Trendel Lightburn
Newsletter: Marco Cartolano
Music: Grandaddy
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