US State Department passes sanctions against Iranian ministries

The US State Department has passed unilateral sanctions against Minister for Communications and Information Technologies Reza Tagipur, Ministry for Culture and Islamic Orientation, its council for press surveillance and some key figures. They were banned from the US and their accounts frozen, ITAR-TASS reports.

The figures are believed to be responsible for censorship and blocking broadcasting of foreign TV channels in Iran and Internet.

The US accuses Iran of pressurizing free information stream and persecution of activists, journalists, lawyers, students and artists.