French company GlobeCast has halted the broadcast of Irans Spanish-language Hispan TV on an SES satellite.[/caption]Russian commentators believe that recent bans by European countries on Iranian satellite channels are politically-motivated and aim to mount more pressure on the Islamic Republic,Press TVreports.
Press TV and other Iranian satellite channels have come under a wave of attacks by European governments and satellite companies since January 2012. They were taken off air in several Western countries including the UK, France, Germany and Spain.
European satellite companies claim they are complying with anti-Iran sanctions. However, an EU spokesman, Michael Mann, has told Press TV that the anti-Iran sanctions do not apply to the countrys media.
Rajab Safarov, with the Center for Modern Iranian Research in Moscow, told Press TV on Monday, I believe the decision to take down Iranian channels is politically-motivated, it is aimed at limiting access to information, [and the] objective and informative broadcast by these channels.
In the latest attack on Iranian channels, communications satellite services provider Intelsat said on June 19 that it would no longer provide services to Iranian channels, including the English-language news channel, Press TV.
Yuri Krupnov, a Russian political analyst, also told Press TV, The move has nothing to do with democratic values. It is an attempt to isolate Iran. To block Iran from broadcasting is similar to silencing it. This policy is artificial and gives Iran and Russia platform to find alternative communication strategies.
The Intelsat decision has been made under the pretext that the company should be abiding by the sanctions against the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
The Israeli lobby in the United States has also publicly supported the European attempts to ban Press TV.
By Press TV
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