The Media Line Staff
The two main satellite carriers in the Middle East, NileSat and ArabSat, have stopped carrying the Iranian Arabic-language Al-Alam television channel.
Al-Alam called the step a "shock move" and a representative of the Iranian channel confirmed to The Media Line that the company sees the developments as politically motivated.
Neither satellite carrier could be reached for a response.
ArabSat reportedly sent Al-Alam a message accusing the Iranian channel of "criticizing Arab officials."
The news comes amidst increasing tension between Iran and its Arab neighbors sparked by Iran's controversial nuclear program and allegations that Iran is supporting Shi'ite rebel groups throughout the region.
ArabSat is based in the Saudi capital Riyadh and NileSat in Cairo, Egypt.
Al-Alam targets an Arab audience by airing its programming in Arabic and not Persian, the national language of Iran.
"In this part of the world, all the 450 channels that come out of the Middle Eastern countries use both ArabSat and NileSat and the control of these satellite carriers lies with the largest investors, namely Saudi Arabia and Egypt," media expert Dr. Aijaz Ilmi told The Media Line.
"The carriers are dependent and are absolute allies of the Americans, and maybe somebody is of the position that the channel is used for propaganda and it's better to get them off the air," he said. "But getting a channel off the air, I think it's futile, because people will always find a way to get access to information. You can't stop people from broadcasting their views, because you also have alternate media like the Internet, Twitter and Facebook so if something has to get across it will always get across."
Al-Alam informed its viewers through its website of other means to access its programming through other satellites, including Hot Bird and AsiaSat. Live broadcasts can also be accessed through the channel's website.
http://www.alalam.ir/Default.aspx
The decision to stop carrying the Iranian station was made during a meeting of communication ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Bahrain in Riyadh on Tuesday. A Palestinian representative was also present at the gathering.
In July 2008, the Egyptian government raided the Cairo offices of Al-Alam, confiscating filming equipment, after the station was accused of unlicensed broadcasting.
Egypt was angry with the channel for helping to produce an Iranian series that reviewed the assassination of the late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and described him as a traitor for signing a peace agreement with Israel.
Iran has had an acrimonious relationship with Egypt for three decades since cutting diplomatic ties with the country following Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's signing of the Camp David peace agreement with Israel in 1979.
Sadat's welcoming of the Shah of Iran following the collapse of his regime in 1979 sharpened the tensions between the two countries. This was compounded when an Iranian street was named after Khalid Al-Islambouli, the man who assassinated Sadat in 1981.
The Cairo office of Al-Alam said this week that it received a message from ArabSat in which the satellite carrier accused Al-Alam of "harming customs and criticizing Arab officials."
According to Al-Alam, ArabSat claimed it received complaints from official institutions that Al-Alam was airing programs that "conflict with religious and political moralities."
Al-Alam refuted these accusations and said the measure was a "clear violation of the most basic standards and principles of media freedom." The channel said this week's move would deprive viewers of their right to free information and constitutes "a clear violation of agreements, laws and principles that govern media conduct."
There has been growing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia over the annual Hajj pilgrimage, with Tehran accusing Riyadh of maltreating Iranian pilgrims at the border.
Yemen is also angry with Iran because of a rebellion of a Shi'ite offshoot group known as the Houthis on its northern border. Sana'a alleges Tehran is providing financial support and training to the rebels.
On top of that, all the countries in the region are unhappy about Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran claims is intended for peaceful energy production.
Iran is facing international pressure over allegations that its nuclear program is intended to covertly manufacture nuclear weapons. Sunni states are uncomfortable with the idea of a nuclear Shi'ite power in their neighborhood.
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