By ASSOCIATED PRESS ARAB NEWS

Published: Jan 20, 2012 23:17 Updated: Jan 20, 2012 23:17

LONDON: Britain’s telecoms regulator on Friday revoked the license of Iranian state-owned television station Press TV, and said the channel would disappear from UK TV screens by the end of the day.

Ofcom said it was not convinced the station, an arm of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, had control over the programs it aired — a requirement for gaining a broadcasting license. It is a crime in Britain to broadcast without a license.

Ofcom said that the license was held by London-based Press TV Ltd. but editorial decisions were being made by Press TV International, which is based in Tehran.

The regulator said it had “offered to assist them in coming into compliance” with the rules, without success.

Ofcom said it had contacted satellite broadcaster BSkyB — which carried Press TV — telling it to remove the station from its platform.

The threat of sanctions has been hanging over Press TV since May, when Ofcom ruled that the station broke broadcasting rules by airing a 2009 interview with detained Newsweek correspondent Maziar Bahari.

Bahari was jailed as a suspected spy following Iran’s disputed presidential elections and said his televised interview had been scripted by his captors, who threatened to execute him unless he cooperated.

Last month the regulator fined Press TV 100,000 pounds ($153,000) for broadcasting an interview under duress. Ofcom said Friday that the fine had not been paid.

Press TV has claimed for months that British authorities were planning to shut the station down.

In October Press TV suggested it had nettled British officials with its critical coverage of the tuition protests in London and the rioting that broke out across England in August.

Note by the editor: Long live the freedom of the Press!