The Cradle
Anti-Western, pro-'Axis of Resistance' (Iran-aligned) West Asia outlet
Background
The Cradle launched in 2021 as a journalist-run publication on West Asia (the Middle East). Sharmine Narwani, a Beirut-based analyst whose work has appeared in outlets including RT, The Guardian, The New York Times and Al Jazeera, founded it. Its contributors have included commentators such as Pepe Escobar. It publishes analysis, news and a podcast focused on regional geopolitics, war and shifts in global power. The outlet frames events from the perspective of the 'Axis of Resistance' and a multipolar world, and it is hostile to U.S. and Israeli policy. Meta permanently banned its Instagram account in 2024, citing 'praising terrorist organizations' and incitement. The outlet called the ban censorship. Critics, including Kurdish and Iranian opposition-aligned social media accounts, have alleged it is funded by Iran, but I found no verified evidence, and the outlet says it relies on donations. Media Bias/Fact Check and similar raters note that it does not disclose its ownership. In 2026 its coverage of Trump's war on Iran has been critical. Headlines and podcast episodes have said that Trump wants out of the war and that Iran is gaining the upper hand. Supporters see it as a source of regional perspectives that Western media underreport. Critics see it as advocacy that takes the side of Iran and its allies.
Sources
- The Cradle - Bias and Credibility - Media Bias/Fact Check
- The Cradle is a 'one-stop shop for all things West Asia' - Canary
- Meta Permanently Bans The Cradle in Latest Attack on Free Speech - Transcend Media Service
- Sharmine Narwani - The Cradle
- Trump Wants OUT of his War and Iran Smells Blood - The Cradle
- Sharmine Narwani - KeyWiki
Profile compiled 2026-10-15; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.