Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has banned the accounts of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from its platforms, citing its policies against “coordinated inauthentic behavior”.
According to Meta, the accounts were part of a network that engaged in “inauthentic activity” and “misleading people about who they are and what they are doing”. Meta said it removed 200 Facebook accounts, 125 Instagram accounts, 9 groups, and 29 pages that were linked to the Iranian network.
Among the accounts that were disabled on Thursday afternoon were the Persian and English Instagram accounts of Khamenei, who has more than 5 million followers on the photo-sharing app. Khamenei’s official website confirmed the removal of his accounts and said it was “part of the all-out pressure and censorship campaign against the Iranian nation”.
Meta’s action comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program and regional activities. The US has imposed sanctions on Iran and accused it of supporting terrorist groups and interfering in the affairs of its neighbors. Iran has denied the allegations and accused the US of violating its sovereignty and rights.
Meta has previously taken down accounts and pages that were linked to Iran and other countries for violating its policies.
In October 2020, Meta removed 12 Facebook accounts, 6 pages, and 11 Instagram accounts that were part of a network that originated in Iran and targeted the US presidential election.
In January 2019, Meta removed 783 pages, groups, and accounts that were involved in “coordinated inauthentic behavior” on Facebook and Instagram and originated in Iran.
Meta said the network was spreading misinformation and propaganda about various topics, including the Middle East, US, UK, and Latin America.
