Iran warns US on seizure

IRAN has warned that the US seizure of dozens of Iranian websites is “not constructive” for the ongoing talks on the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal.

The US Justice Department seized a range of Iran-affiliated news website domains, accusing the outlets of “spreading disinformation” and violating sanctions. The takedowns came as world powers scramble to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which Washington unilaterally abandoned under the Donald Trump administration.

“We are using all international and legal means to … condemn … this mistaken policy of the US. It appears not constructive when talks for a deal on the nuclear issue are under way,” the director of the president’s office, Mahmoud Vaezi, told reporters.

On Tuesday, US authorities blocked over 30 websites, including PressTV and Al-Alam, for allegedly violating US sanctions.

“Today, pursuant to court orders, the US seized 33 websites used by the Iranian Islamic Radio and TV Union (IRTVU) and three websites operated by Kata’ib Hizballah (KH), in violation of US sanctions,” the US Justice Department said in a statement.

Both PressTV and Al-Alam were back online within hours, using Iranian domain addresses.

The website of PressTV, which is an English-language news service, read: “The domain presstv.com has been seized by the US government in accordance with a seizure warrant …”

Following the takedown, PressTV tweeted: “In what seems to be a coordinated action, a similar message appears on the websites of Iranian and regional TV networks that claims the domains of the websites have been ‘seized by the US government’.”

Last October, US prosecutors seized a network of web domains they claimed were used in a campaign by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps to spread “political disinformation” around the world.

The seizures come as world powers attempt to resurrect the 2015 nuclear deal and just days after the victory of Ebrahim Raisi in presidential elections. During his first press conference on Monday, Raisi said that Iran would continue to engage in talks regarding the revival of the nuclear accord, but stressed that the country’s diplomacy will not be limited to the deal.

“We do not intend to negotiate a nuclear deal if they do not ensure the interests of our country,” the president-elect added.

Raisi insisted that the sanctions must be lifted, and said he had no plans to meet the incumbent president of the US, Joe Biden.

The US withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran in line with its “maximum pressure policy” against Tehran, and in response the Islamic Republic began to roll back its commitments under the accord. .

Iran foiled a sabotage attack yesterday on a building belonging to the country’s atomic energy agency, state TV said. “… the attack “did not cause any damage in financial or human terms. The saboteurs failed to carry out their plan,” the broadcaster said.

Israel neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the blast, but public radio said it was a sabotage operation by the Mossad spy agency, citing unnamed intelligence sources.

The New York Times, quoting unnamed US and Israeli intelligence officials, said there had been “an Israeli role” in the attack.

At the time, the Iranian foreign ministry accused Israel of an act of “nuclear terrorism” aimed at scuttling the Vienna nuclear talks and vowed revenge.

Israel has always opposed the nuclear agreement, which it says could allow the Islamic republic to develop a bomb. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons.

Yair Lapid, foreign minister in Israel’s new coalition government, last week pledged the Jewish state “will do whatever it takes to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear bomb” and said he was opposed to a revival of the 2015 deal.