The story: A meeting between Iran’s current and previous foreign ministers has sparked debate on the value of US academic credentials on Iranian social media. Reactions have seemingly been fueled by a parallel controversy over incumbent chief diplomat Hossein Amir-Abdollahian’s command of English. The renewed debate in Iran on the value of a western education and foreign language proficiency comes despite rising tensions with the US.

The coverage: Amir-Abdollahian and several former top diplomats on Jan. 26 met Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior foreign policy advisor to Iran’s supreme leader. Velayati is known as the Islamic Republic’s longest-serving...