Iran has expanded restrictions on the distribution of news content from the country, directing international news outlets to restrict the use of their content by Israeli media. A directive issued Tuesday to a group of international news organizations based in Tehran specified mandatory language to be included on all submitted content, including photos, videos, reports, and other media productions.
The instructions, sent to several news organizations including The Associated Press, came from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, which oversees media activity. The directive stated that responsibility for failing to comply rests with the submitting media outlet, according to a translation from Farsi.
These new restrictions come three months after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran that escalated into a continuing, occasionally flaring conflict in the region. President Donald Trump insisted a peace deal is close on the 88th day of the war, even as Iran on Tuesday denounced the most recent U.S. strikes as a sign of bad faith and unreliability.
Required Text for News Organizations
The required text for news organizations would state that the content in question cannot be used by Israeli media and Farsi-language TV stations based outside Iran. For years, Iran has banned international media from sharing some material with BBC Persian, VOA Persian, Manoto TV, and Iran International, risking the shutdown of their operations in the country.
Despite these restrictions, many Farsi-language media outlets abroad still access images and videos released by Iranian state media through various websites and messaging apps. The Washington-based group Freedom House ranks Iran as not having a free and independent media, noting that all television channels are controlled by hardliners within its theocracy and that those working in other outlets face harassment and arrest.
Satellite Dishes and Internet Access
Satellite dishes are banned in Iran, though many citizens possess them to watch Farsi-language channels from abroad. Meanwhile, access to the internet outside the country has been shut off for weeks, further limiting the flow of information.
