A group of Spanish lawmakers have heaped scorn on their government for pulling the plug on Iranian channels Press TV and Hispan TV under the influence of Zionist lobbies in the United States.
In a letter, the United Left deputies asked the Spanish government to explain if Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo had discussed the ban on Iranian networks in his meeting with the Zionist lobbies in October 2012.
The signatories to the letter highlighted the Israeli nationality of the owner of the European satellite provider, Eutelsat, accusing him of having been the harbinger of recent attacks on Iranian media in Europe.
The MPs also warned that according to Spanish law, Press TV and Hispan TV can take legal action against the Spanish government for its suppression of freedom of speech and interference with the affairs of private entities in violation of rules and regulations governing Spain and the European Union (EU).
They demanded that the Spanish government explain in clear terms the reasons behind yanking the Iranian channels off the air.
The Spanish government has ordered Madrid’s regional government to stop broadcast of Iran’s 24-hour Spanish-language Hispan TV as of Monday.
Hispan TV, along with Iran’s 24-hour English-language news channel Press TV, have been already targeted by Hispasat’s fellow European satellite providers, Eutelsat and Hotbird.
An overwhelming majority of 72 percent of respondents to a recent Press TV poll from across the globe said Iran’s media are attacked by Zionist lobbies for their revelation of truth about Israel and the West.
The ban on Press TV and Hispan TV in Spain followed a similar move by France’s Eutelsat company, which had already taken several Iranian satellite channels and radio stations off the air, claiming that the channels were removed because of “a wider interpretation of EU regulations.”
Hispasat is partly owned by Eutelsat, whose French-Israeli CEO is blamed for the recent wave of attacks on Iranian media in Europe.
Eutelsat SA and Intelsat SA, which stopped the broadcast of several Iranian satellite channels in October, 2012, have cited pressure by the European Union as the main reason.
The EU has, however, denied the claims by the European satellite companies.
