Opponents of the Islamic Republic Request Pompeo to Sanction IRIB

Dozens of opponents of the Islamic Republic have written a letter to Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, requesting sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). These opponents point to instances of what they call "human rights violations," the manner of reporting, the transmission of jamming signals, and the promotion of the Islamic Republic's "destabilizing" objectives, urging the U.S. not to extend the suspension of sanctions against IRIB. The signatories of the letter to the U.S. State Department state that the issue of human rights violations by IRIB has not received sufficient attention: "The state radio and television of the Islamic Republic continues to violate human rights, including through the broadcasting of forced confessions." In the latest round of these "confessions," several Instagram users were drawn into an "interview" with the Islamic Republic's national television network. A large number of activists, observers, and civil rights defenders describe these confessions as "forced." Iran's television has denied these accusations. The broadcast of these confessions from Instagram users has faced widespread reactions from Iranian users, and even some pro-Islamic Republic figures, including the Secretary of the Council for the Clarification of Student Mobilization, have criticized them. Additionally, the signatories of the letter to Mr. Pompeo say that citizens both inside and outside the country have repeatedly criticized the manner and coverage of IRIB regarding protests in Iran, and even some members of the Iranian parliament and government officials have expressed concern about this issue. The televised "confessions" followed the protests of 2009. According to opponents, the Islamic Republic continues to transmit ground jamming signals and is capable of disrupting or cutting off Iranian overseas networks. They also emphasize that the state radio and television of Iran is used to disseminate and broadcast the political objectives of the Islamic Republic, including to create instability in the Middle East and train militia groups and terrorist organizations. Tehran has denied accusations of "supporting terrorism" and creating instability in the Middle East. Critics say that Iranian citizens' protests find no place in the coverage of the only radio and television media in their country. The state radio and television of the Islamic Republic has been subject to U.S. sanctions since 2012, but after a while, both Barack Obama and Donald Trump have extended six-month suspensions against these sanctions. The current suspensions will end on July 12, 2018. Earlier this year, reports emerged regarding the Trump administration's willingness to reinstate these sanctions. The Guardian reported on January 8 that Trump does not intend to sign the suspensions again. An "official familiar with the executive affairs of the U.S. government," who requested anonymity, told The Guardian that the U.S. President currently does not intend to impose restrictions on the Central Bank "due to potential problems for ordinary people in Iran," but wants to target certain institutions, including state television. Outside the United States, sanctions and restrictions have also been imposed against IRIB officials and its networks. In December 2011, Ofcom, the media regulator in the UK, revoked the license of the Press TV network. This action followed a complaint by Maziar Bahari, a Newsweek journalist, against Press TV for recording and broadcasting his forced confession. Press TV described Ofcom's decision as "a clear example of censorship." Ezatollah Zarghami, the former head of IRIB, was sanctioned by the European Union in April 2012 for "gross human rights violations" in Iran. In March 2013, Mohammad Sarafraz, the head of the international section of IRIB and the head of the English-language Press TV, was placed on the EU sanctions list for broadcasting forced confessions of detainees in Iran and for collaborating with Iranian security and intelligence agencies. Mr. Sarafraz was head of IRIB for a few months but resigned from his position. Calls for sanctions against IRIB and Iran's reaction have a history. For example, in 2014, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran called for the extension of these sanctions by the U.S., citing instances of "human rights violations" such as "transmitting jamming signals, broadcasting forced confessions, and continuous censorship." Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner, stated three months ago in an interview with Bloomberg that both the United States and the European Union should impose sanctions on IRIB. Iran has criticized previous sanctions against media officials and the Press TV network. The head of Press TV stated in March 2013 that the sanctions were imposed "without asking the IRIB to provide an explanation or addressing this issue legally and judicially." Ezatollah Zarghami also stated that as the "number of audiences of the Islamic Republic's overseas channels and programs has increased in various parts of the world, the West's sensitivity to it has increased." Mr. Zarghami did not provide details regarding the "number of audiences," and it is unclear how this figure was determined. Criticisms within Iran regarding jamming signals suggest that a potential sanction against IRIB could have various consequences for the activities of this large organization. Such an action could prevent the state radio and television of the Islamic Republic, and consequently its foreign networks, from accessing satellites. Shirin Ebadi told Bloomberg that this would be a good way to reduce the Islamic Republic's capabilities in "attacking opponents and spreading government propaganda." Ms. Ebadi stated that it would be enough for Western satellites to no longer allow IRIB programs to be broadcast. The Islamic Republic's state television and radio is the only legal radio and television media inside Iran. The head of this organization is appointed by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. This entity owns national, internet, local, and provincial radio and television networks. It has overseas networks in English, Arabic, Russian, Turkish, Spanish, French, Dari, and Kurdish, and also has overseas networks for broadcasting programs in Persian. IRIB also owns publishing houses, newspapers, cultural companies, universities, and news agencies.