ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Iran’s Basij militia have destroyed tens of thousands of satellite dishes in a ceremony which they had confiscated from people’s home in a crackdown campaign. The ceremony was attended by the head of the Basiji force, General Mohammad Reza Naghi.
“The truth is that most satellite channels … deviate the society’s morality and culture,” Naghi said, according to Iran’s Basij News, on Sunday.
“What these televisions really achieve is increased divorce, addiction and insecurity in society,” he added.
Naghi went on to claim that most satellites the militia had taken were handed over voluntarily.
Satellite dishes in Iran are banned by the regime which doesn’t want Iranians watching material they deem inappropriate or subversive to their authoritarian rule.
Iran’s Basij regularly break into neighborhoods to forcibly seize satellite dishes.
The President of Iran Hassan Rouhani believes the satellite ban is unnecessary.
Also on Friday Iran’s Culture Minister Ali Jannati insisted that the law banning satellites needs to be reformed.
While “using [a] satellite [dish] is strictly prohibited” most Iranians use them, Jannati said. Meaning that 70 percent of the Iranian people are breaking this law by owning these dishes.
However, Jannati went on to echo Naghi when he claimed that, “Most of these satellite channels not only weaken the foundation of families but also cause disruptions in children’s education, and children who are under the influence of satellite have improper behavior.”
Iran has long tried to counter and limit people’s access to a range of satellite channels broadcasting in Persian from the United States and Europe.
