EU pressures Iran to end jamming, internet censorship

The European Union will put pressure on Iran to stop jamming satellite broadcasts from the BBC and other international channels.

Iran has been blocking news channels broadcast into the country from a French satellite following widespread anti-government protests there.

But it is not yet clear exactly what action the EU will take.

A statement from the EU foreign ministers said they would act to end the “unacceptable situation”.

“The EU calls on the Iranian authorities to stop the jamming of satellite broadcasting and internet censorship and to put an end to this electronic interference immediately,” a statement from the EU foreign ministers said.

In February three major international broadcasters strongly condemned Iran for its “deliberate electronic interference” in their broadcasts.

The BBC, Deutsche Welle and Voice of America said the jamming began as Iran marked the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

‘Unacceptable’

There is a possibility the EU will impose trade sanctions to stop the mobile network company Nokia Siemens from trading in Iran, reports said.

It is reported that they sold the Iranian government technology to monitor mobile phone calls and block social networking services.

But some reports say Nokia Siemens, the joint arm of the mobile technology companies, has already said it will not sell any more equipment to Tehran.

The moves would be separate from any sanctions being considered by the US and their allies over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

At the beginning of the year the US had called for the UN to place “crippling” sanctions on Iran, but both China and Russia have refused to back tough sanctions.

Finland’s foreign minister Alexander Stubb, told Reuters a Security Council resolution remained the goal, but as time was running out countries may seek “unilateral” sanctions on Iran instead.

Thousands of opposition supporters have been arrested during and after mass protests from against elections last June, won by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. BBC