British government, Royal family, Israel Lobby, back a decision to ban Press TV in Britain, Press TV assures: we highlight the real British policy at home and abroad.

Press TV has been banned in the United Kingdom after a political decision supported by the “Israel Lobby” and the “British Friends of Israel”, and backed by the Royal family came out; claiming that the Iranian backed TV channel does not work in accord with the Ofcom.

The British authorities claimed that Press TV does not comply with the Ofcom (Office of Communications) that is the British regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom.

Ofcom reported that the TV channel had breached Ofcom’s broadcasting code by airing an interview with Iranian-born Canadian Journalist Maziar Bahari while he was still in detention in an Iranian prison. It said that Bahari was asked to give an interview to Press TV in which he condemns Western media, and was promised that he would be released from jail if he did so.

For its part, Press TV denied having even broadcasted such an issue, and quoted Wikileaks documents as having demonstrated that “the British Foreign Office has told the US Embassy in London that it is exploring ways to limit the operations of … Press TV."

The Iranian TV station has explained that pressure against it emerged because it has been a TV station alternative to local propagandized media outlets, and that it has also “took pains to break the mainstream media's total silence on the violations of international law and human rights committed by the UK government at home and abroad.”

It has broadcasted the British government's violence in dealing with November 2010’s peaceful student protests against massive cuts to spending on higher education, on August 2011’s wide social protests in various cities, as well as its measures in selling arms to autocratic Arab states in the Middle East and North Africa so that they use them against public protesters.

Press TV’s news director in Beirut Ali Rizk clarified to Al-Manar website that all the British authorities' claims about breaching Ofcom laws are lies, and that this decision came out as a response to Press TV’s highlight to the demonstrations that the British students have made and to the government’s economic policies.

Rizk further explained that when Press TV covered Prince William’s wedding in April, it highlighted its high cost and the royal weddings' damage to the country’s economy, an approach that Prince William personally criticized, condemning the TV station’s policy.

In parallel, Rizk clarified to Al-Manar website that Press TV was accused by the Israeli lobby in Britain of having double standards in its coverage, and media reports were published about this point claiming that the channel did not treat the elections in Iran and the “trouble” that took place after them in the same way it dealt with the demonstrations in Britain.

Rizk further indicated that steps that will be taken are not declared yet, but Press TV will surely fight against this decision.