The story: An Iranian media report on the alleged formation of “Shiite Mobilization Units” in Afghanistan to counter recent Taliban advances has been faced with a backlash. The claimed establishment of the force has been attributed to Tehran, leading to a warning from a senior official of the Afghan government. Meanwhile, a senior aide to Iran’s foreign minister has implied that the Islamic Republic is not involved.

The coverage: Headlining its July 19 edition, conservative Jomhuri Eslami daily claimed that the new Shiite formation has emerged...