US seizes Iranian, Middle Eastern broadcaster websites

The US government has moved to seize the websites of Iranian and other Middle Eastern broadcasters and media companies that are hosted on domains owned by American companies. The US government says that the hosting is in violation of sanctions.

 

Each of the sites carries a large image (pictured) saying the it has been seized.

 

The sites include English-language Tehran-based channel Press TV, which within hours of the seizure migrated from presstv.com to an Iranian-hosted site presstv.ir.

 

The sites of Arabic language Al-Alam TV and Al-Kawthar run by Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB were also seized.

 

In addition, the websites of a number of Arabic-language TV channels broadcasting to Iraq have also been seized.

 

On 2 July, Press TV published a story attacking the US moves, claiming it is an “outrageous attack on foreign press”.