ABU DHABI — Iran has forced the United Arab Emirates of Dubai to halt live
Persian-language television broadcasts.
Western diplomatic sources said the broadcasts contained Western programming and
discussed democracy. They said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his
advisers regarded these broadcasts as part of a U.S.-led effort to foment
unrest in Iran.
"There were harsh messages sent to Dubai by the Iranian president
personally," a diplomatic source said. "In the end, neither Dubai nor the
central UAE government sought a confrontation."
The broadcasts were meant to be beamed in Iraq in a project financed by
Holland.
Iran also pressured Holland to end support for the Persian-language
broadcasts. The sources said Teheran awarded several major projects to the
Netherlands in wake of its decision to withdraw support for the broadcasts.
The United States has not supported the financing of opposition
broadcasts to Iran. But Sen. Rick Santorum, a leading Republican, has
introduced the Iran Freedom and Support Act, which has garnered support of
nearly 50 members.
Santorum's bill would increase support for a free media in Iran. This
would include the beaming of anti-regime broadcasts from both within and
outside of the United States.