TEHRAN: Iranian officials slammed the country’s state television on Wednesday for airing a program on oil sales to China that contravene US sanctions, saying the report went “against national interests.”
Washington abandoned a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers last year and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic republic’s crucial oil sales as well as other parts of the economy.
The “Hello, Good Morning” talk show featured on Tuesday a program on the Salina, an Iranian-flagged tanker under US sanctions that reportedly had delivered 1 million barrels of crude oil to China’s Jinzhou port in late June.
China — along with Britain, France, Germany and Russia — is one of the partners in the nuclear deal and has rejected US President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to cut Iranian oil exports to zero.
“This shows that sanctions are ineffective and Iran’s path to sell its oil is not blocked,” the program’s host said, showing what he claimed were satellite photos of the tanker berthed at the Chinese port.
The state broadcaster immediately came under fire from local media who called the program “suspicious,” with officials weighing in the next day.
“This will hurt (Iran’s) national interests,” semi-official ISNA news agency quoted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying. “Thank God I don’t watch TV.”
Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said that the program “has undone what the ministry set out to do.”
He had said previously that Iran was keeping up oil sales through “unconventional” means kept secret to skirt US sanctions.
State television responded by saying the information was already public, pointing to a Financial Times report published last week.
“If the Americans were going to track the tanker, they would have last week and did not need Hello, Good Morning to remind them in Farsi,” it said in a statement.
Zanganeh said republishing reports by foreign media — some of which are Iran’s “enemies” — is “inappropriate” and state television should only report “news on oil export confirmed by the oil ministry,” ISNA reported.
As part of its “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, Washington has vowed to reduce Iran’s foreign currency earnings via blocking its oil, petrochemical and metal exports.
Iran state TV blasted over report on secret oil sales
Iran state TV blasted over report on secret oil sales
- The “Hello, Good Morning” talk show featured a program on the Salina, an Iranian-flagged tanker under US sanctions
- State television responded by saying the information was already public
Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC
- Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month
RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.
The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience.
Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.
“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”
With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.
The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.
Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”
The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”
Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”
He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”
