Iran’s state media says Facebook deleted its main page without warning

Facebook has deleted Iran’s state media Press TV page off its platform Tuesday without any warning or explanation, according to the broadcaster. 

Facebook told the outlet that Iran’s international English news network is not eligible to be on its site, Press TV said in an article. 

Press TV had 4 million followers before the page was taken down.

“Facebook deletes Press TV’s main page without any warning or explanation,” the news outlet tweeted. 

Facebook deletes Press TV’s main page without any warning or explanation #BreakingNews #PressTV#facebook pic.twitter.com/j4aDg2BlOp

— Press TV (@PressTV) January 12, 2021

“Over the past years, Facebook — along with YouTube, Twitter and Google — have repeatedly targeted Press TV among other media outlets of Iran and the countries critical of the West and the Israeli regime’s occupation of Palestine,” Press TV wrote.

Iran state media has been known to push out propaganda for the Iranian government, which is criticized for its human rights violations.

Facebook started labeling Press TV, along with Russia’s Sputnik and China’s Xinhua News Agency, as state media. The social media platform also cut off those outlets’ ability to run advertisements in the United States. 

This move comes days after President Trump was banned from the platform for spreading disputed claims about election fraud. Some called it hypocritical to ban Trump without banning pages from other countries that are known to spread propaganda. 

Press TV is calling Facebook’s move an “attack” that “coincides” with its reporting on the U.S. Capitol riot that happened Wednesday. There is no evidence Facebook took down its page for that reason.

The Hill has reached out to Facebook for comment.