TEHRAN - "Iran should not hesitate to demand accountability for all the politically-motivated disinformation and fake news that has been unleashed by the USA and its allies targeting Iran" Caleb Maupin, a writer, journalist and political analyst, tells Tehran Times.

Maupin, the author of "Crisis of American Liberalism" and "Getting Rich without Capitalism", also highlights that U.S. media is quick to report claims about countries it doesn't like, “without fact checking them”.

Following is the text of full interview: 

Why do Farsi-speaking TV channels based in the West are backed by Iranian enemies like Israel and Saudi Arabia?

The intent is to create disruption and confusion within Iran, in the hopes of creating instability and bringing down the Islamic Republic. They see information warfare as vital for their effort to weaken Iran from within and push for greater control in the region and in the global economy.

How do you assess the role of media in political equations?

Media is essential. Media is how narratives are crafted and people come to understand world events. How media chooses to report on events and explain them can have a very big impact.

How do you elaborate on the West’s double standards for covering events in different parts of the world?

U.S. outrage about human rights is selective, and there have been many documented cases of inaccurate claims about atrocities. U.S. media is quick to report claims about countries it doesn't like, without fact checking them. U.S. media is constantly looking to feed the narrative that some countries and governments are problematic and need to be removed or weakened.

According to a survey conducted by Iran, many fake stories are being narrated by Western media on a daily basis. What measures can Iran take to oppose this misinformation campaign in accordance with international law?

Iran should not hesitate to demand accountability for all the politically-motivated disinformation and fake news that has been unleashed by the USA and its allies targeting Iran. The spreading of fake news has had real results in terms of human life. The U.S. media has a long record of misrepresenting events in Iran to serve its own agenda.

When I visited Iran, I saw a country so different than what I was expecting, and the more I learned about the Islamic Republic, the more I came to understand how misinformed I was. media is looking to incite young Iranians to hate their country and their revolution, and to U.S. idealize the USA, a country that is having lots of problems and quickly destabilizing.

U.S. media is very deceptive, and Iran is right to call out its negative influence on Iranian society.