European Union foreign ministers urged Iran on Monday to stop jamming European satellite transmissions and said they were prepared to take action to end the interference. Iranian authorities have been jamming foreign satellite broadcasts into their territory since late last year, affecting broadcasters such as the BBC and Deutsche Welle.
Access to the Internet for Iranian citizens has also been interrupted. "The European Union expresses its grave concern over measures taken by the Iranian authorities to prevent its citizens from freely communicating and receiving information through TV, radio satellite broadcasting and the Internet," ministers said in a statement adopted at a meeting in Brussels. "The EU is determined to pursue these issues and to act with a view to put an end to this unacceptable situation."
The ministers said they were determined to ensure Iran lived up to its commitments to the International Telecommunications Union. It is not clear what measures the EU could take, but diplomats have indicated it could involve blocking European manufacturers' export to Iran of equipment that makes it possible to intercept email and mobile phone conversations. The French newspaper Le Figaro said last week that could involve equipment made by companies such as Siemens and Nokia. It could also involve putting limitations on Iran's broadcasting of satellite programming into Europe.