June 20 - Since 2006, members of the United Nations Security Council have been pressing Iran about its nuclear activities, saying they fear the Middle East country has secret weapons programs. Iran's government says its only goal is to develop nuclear power for civilian use.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has no evidence of a nuclear weapons program in Iran, but recently urged the country to be more transparent. Last year, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded, with "high confidence," that Iran had stopped its nuclear weapons activities in 2003.

You wouldn't know that by listening to the major party presidential candidates. Senator John McCain speaks as though he knew Iran were developing nuclear weapons. He's called Iran's nuclear activities "an unacceptable risk, a danger we cannot allow." McCain also supports tougher sanctions against Iran, and says if elected president, he would not engage in high-level talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

On Iran, Senator Barack Obama's language is similar to his Republican opponent's. Obama has claimed that Iran "pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a dangerous arms race, and raise the prospect of a transfer of nuclear know-how to terrorists." He's also reversed his earlier stance of being open to talks with President Ahmadinejad. Recently, Obama said he's not sure that "Ahmadinejad is the right person to talk to now."

McCain's and Obama's rhetoric on Iran seems designed to appeal to neoconservatives, hawks and conservative supporters of the Israeli government. Perhaps more worrying that the candidates' exaggerated claims is the press' failure to fact check them. McClatchy Newspapers and Columbia Journalism Review have both criticized major media coverage of the presidential candidates' statements on Iran, for not fact checking their claims or providing any context.

Part 2 Iran – What can be done?

Despite their differences, both John McCain and Barack Obama have been rattling the sabers with Iran. In April, McCain jokingly sang "Bomb Iran" to the tune of "Barbara Anne," and Obama, too, has hardened his stance against Iran in recent weeks. Election Unspun spoke with Carah Ong from the Center for Arms Control & Nonproliferation. She says the candidates and their Iran policies need to go in a different direction.