Iran bans contact with 60 groups
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
TEHRAN, Jan 5 (AFP): Iran has banned its citizens from having contact with 60 organisations including the BBC, Human Rights Watch and opposition website Rahesabz as well as US-funded broadcasters, state media said.
The deputy intelligence minister in charge of external affairs said that the 60 blacklisted groups were suspected of being involved in efforts by Western governments to topple the Islamic regime as part of a "soft war" and that it was an offence to communicate with them.
"Any kind of contact by individuals or legal entities with those groups involved in the soft war is illegal and prohibited".
The deputy intelligence minister in charge of external affairs said that the 60 blacklisted groups were suspected of being involved in efforts by Western governments to topple the Islamic regime as part of a "soft war" and that it was an offence to communicate with them.
"Any kind of contact by individuals or legal entities with those groups involved in the soft war is illegal and prohibited".