Local Editor

European satellite provider Eutelsat SA stopped the broadcast of several Iranian satellite channels following an order by the European Commission. The company ordered media services company, Arqiva, to take the Iranian satellite channels off one of its Hot Bird frequencies on Monday.

In a separate statement emailed to Press TV, Arqiva said that the decision was made by the EU Council.
"We terminated the contracts because it was the order of the European Commission. We have to follow it," Karen Badalov, area management of Eutelsat SA told Press TV.

Meanwhile, according to Press TV, head of Public Relations of Arqiva, Gary Follows, said that as a result of reinforced EU Council sanctions and repeated requests by France's broadcasting authority for the permanent switch-off of Sahar 1, which is broadcast in the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) multiplex, the IRIB broadcasts through Eutelsat Hot Bird have been terminated.
The Iranian channels being taken off the air include Press TV, al-Alam, Jam-e-Jam 1 and 2, Sahar 1 and 2, Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, Quran TV, and the Arabic-language al-Kawthar.

The decision follows months of jamming of Iranian channels by European satellite companies.

Commenting on the issue, the deputy head of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Broadcasting (IRIB) said European countries have banned the broadcast of Iranian satellite channels because they fear truth-telling media outlets that expose mishandling of economic setbacks in Europe.
"...I think by silencing those outlets (free alternative media), they would be able to control the flow of news and information and at the same time, cover up the events as they see fit," Dr. Mohammad Sarafraz said in an interview with the IRIB on Tuesday. "They are now facing all [sorts of] challenges. On the one hand, they face domestic threats and on the other, they fear independent entities who pose a threat to their existence. That's why they are seeking to mute them," he added.
Sarafraz said the reality is that Europe and the West are having great difficulty dealing with ever-growing public anger over the handling of the continent's economic crisis, and are thus seeking to silence media outlets that expose the mishandling.

He said the justification behind banning Iranian channels is so feeble that even many Europeans have refused to accept it.
"There are even channels that broadcast programs that mock all religious sanctities and are explicit in [expressing] pure religious hatred, all in contravention of EU media regulations," he added.

Sarafraz further said Iranian channels can still be viewed by interested audience despite all the restrictions and added that the move may, in fact, increase the popularity of Iranian media.

Source: Press TV, edited by moqawama.org