TEHRAN – Nasser Kanaani, the spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry has reacted to sanctions imposed by the West against some Iranian media outlets. 

“The US government’s mania for sanctions has become viral and is spreading rapidly to its friends!” Kanaani said in a statement on Instagram, adding, “The Tasnim News Agency, the Kayhan newspaper, the Nournews, the Fars News Agency, the managing director of Kayhan, the current and former presidents of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Broadcasting Organization (IRIB) and a reporter at IRIB are the latest sanctions list of the Canadian government against Iran and Iranians.”

He noted, “This was not the first artistic move by the Canadian government in imposing sanctions on well-known Iranian news agencies and journalists. This country had already put sanctions on Iranian English-language news channel Press TV! From the viewpoint of the Canadian government and its anti-Iran partners, the Iranian nation not only should be put under economic sanctions, but also have no right to express their opinions, unless they speak like them and use the same cultural language as they do like Iran International, Manoto, etc.!”

Kanaani added, “Imposing sanctions on Iranian media and writers amounts to the violation of part of the Iranian nation’s basic rights to make their voices and opinions heard by the world, and reveals the absurdity of the West’s mottos ‘Free Access to Information’ and ‘Freedom of Speech'. This is the same rights that the West promotes and based on which it even allows the desecration of religious sanctities!”

He continued, “Of course, it comes as no surprise that a country which is banging the drums for human rights resorts to force and sanctions to stop others’ voices from being heard. Canada is used to apartheid-like behavior! A proof of that is the mass graves of native children in that country! And now, it has turned to ‘media apartheid’! When slogans lose their effect and logic weakens, it looks like no option is left but to resort to force and sanctions. Sanctions have turned to the international language used by US and its allies.”