Zionist Israel behind Intelsat’s suspension of Iranian channels
Slaughterer Israel is behind the recent move by the communications satellite services provider Intelsat to suspend its services to the channels launched from Iran, a political analyst tells Press TV.
Slamming Intelsat’s decision, Christopher Walker said, “I think there is no doubt an Israeli hand [is] behind this.”
On Wednesday, the Luxembourg-based company said it will no longer provide services to Iranian channels, especially the English-language news channel, Press TV. The decision has been made under the pretext of the company abiding by illegal sanctions against the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) – that is Iran’s national broadcasting corporation.
Intelsat noted that it has been ordered by the US government to avoid extending IRIB’s license, saying that it will stop providing services to Iranian channels as of July 1.
“I don’t think there is any explanation beyond the fact that it is a sheer hypocrisy,” Walker pointed out.
The analyst, however, expressed doubt about the likelihood of West’s success in silencing the Iranian media, saying, “I really don’t think this is going to be a long-term successful campaign, but it is a very ill-timed one at the moment.”
Press TV and other Iranian channels have come under an unprecedented wave of attacks by European governments and satellite companies since January 2012. They have been taken off the air in several Western countries, including Britain, France, Germany and Spain.
European companies say they are abiding by anti-Iran sanctions. However, EU foreign policy chief’s spokesman, Michael Mann, has told Press TV that sanctions do not apply to media.
The French-Israeli CEO of Europe’s satellite giant, Eutelsat, has written letters to several satellite companies, asking them to stop cooperating with Iranian channels.
The Israeli lobby in the United States has also publicly supported European attempts to shut down Press TV.
Media activists call the attacks on Iranian channels a campaign against free speech launched by the same European governments that preach freedom of expression.
