U.S. government sanctions Iran for creating 'electronic curtain'

Iran is notorious for being a foe of the Internet, and the U.S. government has decided to do something about it.

The State Department announced today that it was sanctioning Iran for creating an "electronic curtain" that cuts off its citizens from the rest of the world.

The sanctions are against four individuals and five organizations that have been particularly oppressive when it comes to the freedom of information on the Internet.

According to a statement from State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland, these groups have "engaged in censorship or other activities that prohibit, limit, or penalize freedom of expression or assembly by citizens of Iran, or that limit access to print or broadcast media, including by jamming international satellite broadcasts into Iran, and related activities."

Among those sanctioned are Minister of Communication and Information Technology Reza Taghipour, who the U.S. government says has been responsible for ordering satellite television broadcasts to be jammed and Internet connectivity restricted. Also sanctioned were Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and its Press Supervisory Board, which have reportedly shuttered several newspapers and jailed journalists.

"Such abuses demonstrate the Iranian Government's ongoing campaign to censor its own citizens, curtail their freedoms, and to prevent the free flow of infor... [Read more]