TEHRAN - Arabsat, the satellite communications operator, has suspended providing services to the Lebanese al-Mayadeen television channel in what is said by the TV’s director to be a move to silence the independent television.

Al-Mayadeen’s website cited the channel’s director Ghassan bin Jaddou as announcing the news earlier on Friday, Press TV reported.

During a press conference later on the day, Jaddou pointed to pressure from certain Arab countries, which, according to him, asked al-Mayadeen not to deal with the Saudi war on Yemen as a humanitarian issue and refrain from covering the Saudi strikes on Yemeni civilian targets.

He also referred to the channel’s coverage of developments regarding the recent tragic crush in Mina, near the Saudi city of Mecca, during Hajj rituals as well as its coverage of news concerning Palestinian resistance as other reasons why pressure was exerted on the channel.

Reports say pressure against al-Mayadeen increased after a guest appearing on a program broadcast by the TV criticized Saudi Arabia’s mismanagement of the Hajj rituals.

SP/P