(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - In a flagrant violation of the freedom of speech, European satellite service providers Eutelsat SA and Intelsat ordered media services company Arqiva on October 15 to stop the broadcast of several Iranian satellite channels, including 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 TV.
Speaking to Italy's official news agency, ANSA, Tehran's Ambassador to Rome Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that the ban was "a hasty move and clearly against the basic principles of the freedom of information".
"The move was a serious alarm to the free flow of information and was an unfounded and illogical assault on those international documents in which the free flow of information and the world people's inalienable and certain right of free access and release of different thoughts and opinions has been emphasized," he said.
Following the EU move, Chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi sent a letter to French Envoy to Tehran Bruno Foucher, and voiced protest at the recent EU ban on the broadcast of Iranian satellite channels in Europe.
In his letter, Boroujerdi said that the move was "unjustifiable" and the clear violation of international law and regulations by a country which had a background of great civilization and culture.
"Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission strongly urges the French officials to take into consideration the necessity of respecting the principles of freedom and democracy and take immediate action to revise this illogical decision."
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