Arab, Egyptian Satellite drop Iranian station

The Middle East's two main satellite operators have dropped an Arabic-speaking Iranian television station, a decision described by the broadcaster on Wednesday as an attempt to stifle Iran's voice in the region.

The Arabic-speaking al-Alam, based in Iran, said the decision Wednesday was politically motivated. Al-Alam has been critical of Arab governments. Farsi is the official language of Iran.

The station is carried by Saudi Arabia-hosted ArabSat and the Egyptian-owned NileSat and reaches millions of Arabic speaking viewers in over 100 countries.

Egypt's Middle East News Agency said the decision was because of contractual violations, without elaborating. An operations official at ArabSat, Samuel Habashi, confirmed the station was off the air.

Atef al-Mussawi, head of al-Alam's bureau in Beirut, said his station was seeking explanations from officials at both operators, and said the decision muzzled freedom of expression. He said an Egyptian official told them the decision came from "higher authorities" without explanation.

"We understand it is a political decision," al-Mussawi said. "Is the Arab world now only able to face Iran by shutting down a station? Iran is not only strong with its media."

Al-Mussawi said the station was still being broadcast through four other operators, who cover mainly Europe, the United States and Asia.

'Disgracing traditions'

Arab countries, particularly Egypt and Saudi Arabia, are wary of the expanding influence of Iran in the region, through its support of militant groups and hard-line factions in the region. They also fear the Persian country's nuclear program.

In a statement posted on al-Alam's web site, the station said ArabSat accused it of "disgracing traditions and criticizing Arab officials, in a clear admission that the deactivation was for political reasons."

Al-Alam said ArabSat had sent the accusations in a letter to al-Alam's management. The satellite operator also claimed that al-Alam broadcasts programs and news that contravenes "moral and political ethics," the station said in its post, without elaboration.

The crackdown on al-Alam TV station was described by a Cairo-based human rights campaigner as the "harshest" against the station. Gamal Eid of The Arab Network of Human Rights Information said the station was taken off the Egyptian satellite before, its offices in Cairo were searched and equipment confiscated and is currently sued by lawyers who say the station is inflammatory.

Eid said Arab countries have been working on new guidelines for media programming and a broadcasting charter, which is seen by rights campaigners as an attempt to nuzzle press freedoms and target critical satellite stations. Eid said the decision to deactivate al-Alam may be relying on such guidelines.