Recent actions by X social network have brought attention to the activities of Iranian state media outlets and their affiliates. The platform’s decision to remove blue and gold symbols from accounts associated with the Iranian regime, including Press TV and Tasnim, has sparked discussions about Iran’s influence operations and the role of online platforms in regulating content from sanctioned entities.
The move by X comes amidst escalating tensions between Iran and the United States, with the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposing sanctions on Press TV, Tasnim, and other Iranian media outlets last year. These sanctions were levied in response to Iran’s alleged violations of international sanctions and human rights abuses.
Press TV, Iran’s state-owned English-language satellite channel, has been a focal point of the controversy. Despite being subject to OFAC sanctions, Press TV’s verified status on X raised questions about the platform’s willingness to enforce sanctions-related restrictions and its role in providing a platform for Iranian state propaganda.
Similarly, Tasnim News Agency, reportedly founded by members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), retained a blue checkmark on its X account despite being designated as a “Specially Designated National” by OFAC. This raised concerns about the Iranian regime’s efforts to circumvent sanctions and disseminate its propaganda through online platforms.
The controversy surrounding X’s verification process underscores the broader issue of Iran’s use of social media to promote its agenda and suppress dissent. Iranian state media outlets have been accused of spreading disinformation and engaging in online harassment campaigns targeting dissidents and journalists critical of the regime.
Furthermore, the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) report highlighted accounts affiliated with Iran-backed militant groups such as Hezbollah and Houthis, raising concerns about Iran’s support for terrorist organizations and its destabilizing activities in the Middle East. The presence of verified accounts belonging to these groups on X underscores the challenges faced by online platforms in regulating content from entities designated as terrorist organizations by the US government.
In response to the controversy, X issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to upholding international sanctions and regulations. The platform pledged to review its verification policies to ensure compliance with sanctions-related restrictions and prevent the spread of propaganda from sanctioned entities.
However, the actions of the Iranian regime and its affiliates on X highlight the need for greater transparency and accountability in online platforms’ dealings with state-sponsored media outlets and organizations with ties to sanctioned regimes. As technology continues to play a central role in global communication, it is imperative for platforms like X to take proactive measures to mitigate the spread of propaganda and disinformation from authoritarian regimes like Iran.
