ABC Stenographed for Iran Again, Omitted Fiery Netanyahu UN Address

Jorge Bonilla
September 24th, 2026 11:59 PM

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We regret to inform you that ABC News continues to provide willful stenography for the homicidal Iranian regime. The Disney news division was invited to a formal gaggle with Iranian President Mazoud Pezeshkian, and to subsequently regurgitate whatever regime propaganda was uttered at the event. The most Trump-deranged of the broadcast network newscasts then complied.

Watch the report in its entirety, as aired on ABC’s World News Tonight on Thursday, September 24th, 2026:

 

 

ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT

9/24/26

6:38 PM

DAVID MUIR: Meantime, here in New York City, Iran's president addressing the UN General Assembly. Martha Raddatz among a small group of journalists inside a room with the Iranian leader. Tonight, what Iran is now saying about this war, what Martha learned in the room.

MARTHA RADDATZ: Tonight, an extraordinary window into where the Iranians think we are in this war. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian inviting me and a handful of journalists into a room to ask questions without cameras in New York City, where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly. Pezeshkian, saying: “There is a major atmosphere of mistrust, but we are ready for a trust building relationship. We struggle to understand why America attacked Iran. We don't want a nuclear weapon,” adding, “President Trump says the U.S. obliterated the program, so why do they need to inspect?” but claiming, “We are willing to have inspectors.” 

With gas prices in the U.S. soaring to nearly $4.50 per gallon and diesel prices at an all time high, tonight the Iranian president saying: “It is impossible for the U.S. to make Iran surrender,” acknowledging “the U.S. has the power to destroy anything and everything,” but insisting “we will never surrender.” 

The president also claiming “most of the U.S. bases in the region are no longer usable.” And of Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who was severely wounded and reportedly disfigured during the first day of the war, the Iranian president says he “met with the supreme leader twice. We sat on traditional pillows where we sat with legs crossed and then uncrossed, sometimes,” claiming he saw “no major challenges with his health.”

MUIR: So, Martha, we know what Iran's president claims, but we also know the supreme leader has not been seen in public since that initial strike. I'm curious, Martha, any indication inside that room today from the Iranians that Iran believes that Iran and the U.S. are any closer to reaching a deal here?

RADDATZ: Well, David, the short answer is no, although the Iranian president insists the Iranians are eager to end the war, David.

MUIR: Martha Raddatz, who was in that room today with the Iranian president. Thank you.

What great insight did we get from this glorified gaggle? Martha Raddatz’ report almost reads out like the transcript of a statement issued by Pezeshkian. At times, the propaganda descended into the realm of the utterly ridiculous, such as the portion regarding the health of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamei with its specific details regarding the manner in which they sat down on their ceremonial pillows. To be clear, the president of Iran is well within his right to tell the world that the Cardboard Ayatollah is most certainly alive and well and perfectly able to sit down criss-cross applesauce. I’m just left wondering what Raddatz found newsworthy in all that.

For ABC, though, this is par for the course. It was also a choice. Spreading Iranian regime propaganda meant there was no time to cover Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fiery address at the United Nations. CBS did cover it on the Evening News, though. Here is that brief:

 

 

CBS EVENING NEWS

9/24/26

6:36 PM

TONY DOKOUPIL: Meanwhile, back in New York at the UN General Assembly today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mounted a campaign-style defense of Israel's battles in the Middle East and took on New York's mayor in the process. He called accusations of genocide in Gaza, quote, “the biggest lie of the century.” He labeled the dozens of delegates who walked out before he even began to speak “moral cowards,” and he accused Mayor Mamdani, who has repeatedly said Netanyahu should be arrested over alleged war crimes, of trying to silence him. Netanyahu also had a message for the leaders of Iran as that war drags on.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: One day, and it may not be far away, the Iranian people will be free. Their murderous regime will be toppled by its lies, by its corruption, by its cruelty.

DOKOUPIL: Outside the speech, dozens of antiwar protesters blocked a road and were arrested. Among them, the actor Susan Sarandon.

Likewise, NBC aired a full report on the Nightly News. Below is that report:

 

 

NBC NIGHTLY NEWS

9/24/26

6:38 PM

TOM LLAMAS: Thank you. Here in New York, fiery moments at the UN with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivering a passionate defense of Israel's military response to Hamas in Gaza, while facing a massive walkout inside the chamber and protests outside. Here's Erin McLaughlin.

ERIN McLAUGHLIN: Tonight, a walkout at the UN.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: If there are any other moral cowards who haven't yet left this hall, please do so now.

McLAUGHLIN: Hundreds of delegates leaving the hall as soon as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu started a fiery speech to the General Assembly, defending Israeli military actions against Hamas in Gaza.

NETANYAHU: We sent millions of text messages warning civilians to leave combat areas. (VIDEO SWIPE) Accusing Israel of genocide is the greatest lie of the century.

McLAUGHLIN: While outside the building, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters were detained for blocking roads. Susan Sarandon, among those taken away in handcuffs. Netanyahu's speech comes amid a fierce feud with New York City's mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has called Netanyahu a “war criminal".

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: He is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

McLAUGHLIN: Netanyahu firing back.

NETANYAHU: The anti-semitic mayor of New York, I say this: Shame on you. Shame on you for distorting the facts. (VIDEO SWIPE) Since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York.

McLAUGHLIN: Late tonight, Mayor Mamdani accusing Netanyahu of using his speech to, quote: “repeat baseless lies meant to sanitize the genocide of Palestinians.” And tonight in Midtown Manhattan, a standoff. Over this way, a small group of pro-Israel protesters. And over that way, a group of pro-Palestinian protesters. Folks- they’re telling me they’re willing to stay out all night. Tom.

LLAMAS: Erin McLaughlin for us. Erin, thank you.

The full report from NBC had time to develop some of the broader themes of Netanyahu’s address, such as his feud against Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Recall that Mamdani went on and on about arresting Netanyahu upon arrival to the city, until someone tapped him on the shoulder and told him he lacked jurisdiction to do so. NBC’s report did air Netanyahu’s callout of the mass walkout, though.

This isn’t to say that these reports were flawless. Neither CBS nor NBC mentioned that the anti-Netanyahu protests were spurred by Mamdani, and/or that one of the arrestees was the DSA-Democrat congressional candidate for NY-13, Darializa Avila-Chevalier. This is notable because Avila-Chevalier was key to the pro-Hamas protests at Columbia that began on October 8th, 2023. 

Likewise, there was no mention of Netanyahu’s beeper taunt of Hezbollah. But at least CBS and NBC covered Netanyahu’s address, which is more than can be said for ABC.

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