TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has strongly criticized the US Treasury Department for imposing sanctions on several Iranian media organizations, condemning efforts to suppress the truth and hinder public access to information.
During an exclusive interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Raisi questioned the US actions, saying, “Why do you in the United States impede the dissemination of truth and not let it reach peoples? Why do you slap sanctions against news agencies? Why do you enforce bans on many youth networks in different parts of the world? Why do you prevent the echo of the voice [of Iran and others] and block it from reaching other people?”
He further expressed concern about the global understanding of international issues, stating, “What don’t you allow global issues to be clarified so that the peoples of the world become fully aware of circumstances and realize that the international community is not simply what the United States and certain European countries introduce?”
President Raisi called on American journalists to question White House authorities about the restrictions on Iranian media outlets and the reasons behind preventing news from reaching people worldwide, asserting, “In my opinion, this amounts to great injustice against nations.”
The United States imposed a new round of sanctions on more than two dozen Iranian individuals and entities on September 15, citing accusations of “human rights abuse” in connection with last year unrest in the country. The sanctions targeted 29 individuals and entities, including 18 high-ranking members of Iran’s security forces, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), the police, and the head of the Iranian Prisons’ Organization.
Additionally, sanctions were imposed on three individuals and one company associated with Iran’s telecoms ministry.
Sanctions were also applied to the Tehran-based Press TV, as well as Tasnim News Agency, along with three senior officials from these media outlets.
