US government seizes news sites linked to Iran

The US has government seized several news websites linked to Iran.

Domains for the Iranian state-owned Press TV and Al Alam as well as the Yemeni website Al Masirah took visitors to a notice from the US Department of Justice and Department of Commerce on Tuesday that read “This website has been seized” in English and Arabic. The websites were accessible earlier in the day.

Press TV is Iran’s flagship English-language news outlet and features both a website and a TV station. Al Alam has a similar role in Arabic, and Al Masirah is affiliated with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Press TV acknowledged the seizure on Tuesday, tweeting it “seems to be a coordinated action." Their Twitter account was still active at the time of publication. The website is still accessible under the URL presstv.ir, which denotes it is based in Iran. Before the seizure, Press TV’s website listed alternative URLs, including presstv.ir, under articles.