Alitoday

Washington: Social media platform X has indefinitely suspended the official English, Persian, and Arabic-language accounts of Tasnim News Agency. A semi-official Iranian media outlet with reported links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), following allegations that the agency shared content exposing security vulnerabilities involving former US First Lady Melania Trump. Visitors attempting to access the suspended accounts are now met with the standard platform notice: "Account suspended. X suspends accounts which violate the X Rules." X has not publicly specified which platform policies were violated or provided further details about the enforcement action. Security-Related Content According to multiple reports and independent security monitors, the suspension followed the publication of a video by Tasnim News Agency that allegedly revealed details about Melania Trump's movements and potential security vulnerabilities. The reported content raised concerns that the information could potentially be exploited for targeting purposes, prompting scrutiny over whether it violated X's safety and security policies. US intelligence agencies have previously warned about threats linked to Iran targeting current and former American officials, adding to the sensitivity surrounding such content. Iran's Largest State-Linked Media Outlets Founded in 2012, Tasnim News Agency describes itself as an organization that counters what it calls Western media narratives while promoting the views of the Islamic Republic. The outlet maintains close ties with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), one of the country's most influential military and political organizations. The United States designated the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 2019. Before the suspension, Tasnim operated multilingual accounts in English, Persian, and Arabic, allowing it to reach millions of users worldwide with news and commentary aligned with Tehran's positions on regional and international affairs. Iranian State Media The latest enforcement action comes amid continued scrutiny of Iranian state-linked media organizations on global social media platforms. X had previously removed verification badges from Tasnim and several other Iranian state-affiliated accounts following concerns related to US sanctions regulations and platform policies. The suspension removes one of Iran's most prominent state-linked news organizations from X, significantly limiting its ability to distribute content to international audiences through the platform. Social Media Restrictions Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused US technology companies of politically motivated censorship whenever action is taken against Iranian state-linked media accounts. Tehran argues that such restrictions undermine freedom of expression and unfairly target Iranian media organizations. Facebook, and Instagram have remained restricted for most users inside Iran since 2009, with many Iranians relying on virtual private networks (VPNs) to access the services. X Yet to Comment X has not issued an official statement explaining the suspension beyond its standard account enforcement notice, and it remains unclear whether Tasnim's accounts will be permanently removed or restored following any internal review.