The story: Iranian whistleblower Abbas Palizdar has sparked controversy after renewing accusations of high-level corruption among top officials. In parallel, Palizdar—who has previously served time for similar allegations—has suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s supreme leader, is best suited to tackle corruption. The intervention has fueled speculation that efforts are being made behind the scenes to raise the younger Khamenei’s profile in preparation for leadership succession.

The coverage: Palizdar, a former secretary of the parliamentary judiciary inquiry and review commission, alleged in a Nov. 9 interview that...