YouTube, the video-sharing platform owned by Google, has blocked the channel of Iran’s Fars News Agency as part of a wider action affecting accounts linked to individuals and organisations under US sanctions.
In a post on X on Saturday, Fars News Agency said Google had blocked access to 75 channels after reviewing accounts associated with Iranian individuals and organisations subject to US sanctions.
The move comes after a report by WIRED, citing research by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), a US-based non-profit organisation, which identified dozens of YouTube channels allegedly linked to sanctioned Iranian entities and individuals.
According to the report, the channels were connected to organisations and figures designated by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), including Fars News Agency, Al-Mustafa International University and several Iranian individuals facing sanctions.
The research found that advertisements from major brands and public agencies had appeared alongside content published on some of the channels, raising questions about compliance with US sanctions regulations and whether sanctioned entities could benefit from services provided through the platform.
Google said it had reviewed the findings and taken action against channels found to be in violation of its policies.
“Google is committed to compliance with applicable sanctions and trade compliance laws,” company spokesperson Nate Funkhouser told WIRED. “After review, we took enforcement action against the channels that violated our policies.”
The company did not disclose how many channels were affected by the enforcement measures or provide details about the action taken.
TTP said it identified 84 channels linked to sanctioned individuals or Iranian government-affiliated entities. Among those named in the report were businessman Babak Zanjani, senior adviser Ali Akbar Velayati and Al-Mustafa International University, which was sanctioned by the United States in 2020.
Researchers said it remains unclear whether the channels received a share of advertising revenue generated through YouTube, as the platform no longer publicly identifies participants in its revenue-sharing programme.
Legal experts quoted by WIRED said the case highlights the challenges technology companies face in ensuring compliance with sanctions regulations while operating global online platforms.
YouTube remains officially restricted in Iran, although many users access the platform through virtual private networks (VPNs). Despite those restrictions, Iranian state-linked organisations and officials have continued to use the platform to reach international audiences.
In 2024, YouTube removed a channel associated with Iran’s foreign ministry, citing sanctions-related restrictions on Iranian state-owned entities.
