The story: Iran has expressed backing for the Russian government amid the armed rebellion by the Wagner private military company. The revolt ended after Belarusia's president brokered a deal to stop Wagner's advance on Moscow. In Iran, conservative media have accused the west of orchestrating the rebellion. Meanwhile, some moderate Iranian politicians have warned of claimed dangers at home, pointing to hardliners.

The coverage: Iran's first official reaction came hours after Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin pledged to topple Russia's military leadership on June 24.

• Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani stated that the Islamic Republic "supports the rule of law in the Russian Federation." Notably, his statement did not mention...