Iran bans online debate show over ‘false information’

Iran's judiciary has banned a YouTube debate show called "Azad" for spreading "false information," according to the government's Mizan Online news site. The show's founder and presenter, Mehdi Ahmadi, was charged with disseminating false information and released on bail after questioning, the source reports. The ban comes as Iran has tightened media controls since the US-Israeli attacks on February 28, which sparked a Middle East conflict.

Mizan reported that the show operates without an official license from Iran's culture ministry, which oversees media activities. Additionally, the investigation follows the publication of a New York Times article describing the show as a discussion platform that "pushes the limits of Iran's authoritarian system." The Azad channel, with nearly 160,000 subscribers, regularly hosts debates on various topics, including the Iran-US war, sexual violence, the economy, and philosophy.

Guests have included opposition figures from abroad who openly criticize the Islamic Republic's policies.