Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently remarked that Iran is “in a lot of trouble,” but let’s not be naïve—this is the perfect setup for the usual corporate media narrative. You’ll find wafting smoke signals of the mainstream establishment pushing the idea that the U.S. is the globe’s knight in shining armor, swooping in to save the day while demonizing Iran as the ultimate villain. CNN, MSNBC, and other outlets seize these moments to spin a narrative as old as time: the “bad guys” over there need to be put in their place, while the “good guys”—that’s us, of course—are just doing our job protecting democracy and freedom.

Fox News, on the flip side, tends to amplify the emotional narratives with sensationalized headlines, focusing more on stirring fear and anger than unpacking complex geopolitical issues. They’ll draw entertaining, highly charged stories while sidestepping any tough questions about why “trouble” is defined according to American interests. The irony? The same media that hawks these narratives won’t give you the full picture of why Iran finds itself grappling with economic woes—sanctions, foreign policy blunders, and a military complex that seems more interested in regime change than stabilizing the region.

In short, whether you’re watching CNN’s alarmist reporting or Fox’s emotionally charged segments, you’re still getting the same establishment narrative that fails to challenge the status quo. Remember, they want you reactive, not critical. Challenge everything; the truth is often found in the cracks of their grand narratives.