Eutelsat denies it is jamming its own signals

Satellite operator Eutelsat has categorically denied reports that it is interfering with its own satellite transmissions in order to prevent reception in Iran of international Farsi-language channels.

Eutelsat said the reports, suggesting the operator was acceding to Iranian pressure, were in total contradiction with reality and inconsistent with a statement from the BBC in September associating Eutelsat with its appeal for action by regulatory authorities to combat the problem.

The company said it had located the source of the jamming – which affects channels including BBC Persian, Voice of America and Deutsche Welle – from within Iran and had, for the last two years, filed multiple complaints with the relevant French and international regulatory authorities to denounce hostile jamming operations and to  prompt the ITU to address this illegal practice as a priority  issue.