Iran Urges ITU to Condemn Strikes on Telecommunications Infrastructure
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TEHRAN, April 29 (AP) — Iran's Minister of Information and Communications Technology Sattar Hashemi formally called on the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to condemn recent military strikes targeting the nation's telecommunications infrastructure, accusing the United States and Israel of coordinated attacks.
Hashemi made the appeal on Tuesday, stating that the strikes have caused significant disruption to Iran's digital networks and critical communication systems. The minister's office released a statement confirming that the attacks also targeted the country's university system and health facilities, compounding the damage to civilian infrastructure.
"These actions represent a direct assault on the information sovereignty of the Iranian people," Hashemi said during a press briefing in Tehran. He urged the Geneva-based UN agency to intervene immediately, citing international treaties that protect civilian infrastructure from military targeting.
The ITU, which regulates global telecommunications, has not yet issued an official statement regarding the specific allegations. The organization's mandate includes ensuring the equitable and efficient use of the radio spectrum and promoting the development of telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in developing countries.
The strikes, which occurred over the past 48 hours, have reportedly severed several major fiber-optic cables connecting Iran to regional networks. Local officials in Tehran and Isfahan reported intermittent outages affecting mobile data services and landline communications. Emergency repair crews have been deployed to assess the extent of the damage, though full restoration timelines remain uncertain.
Iranian state media broadcast footage of damaged transmission towers and server facilities, attributing the destruction to precision-guided munitions. The footage showed smoke rising from a telecommunications hub in the northern province of Mazandaran, where officials claim a primary data center was hit.
The United States and Israel have not publicly commented on the specific targeting of telecommunications infrastructure. However, both nations have previously indicated that military operations in the region are focused on neutralizing specific threats related to nuclear proliferation and regional security concerns.
Diplomatic channels remain active as the situation develops. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned ambassadors from several Western nations to protest the alleged attacks, demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities against civilian targets. The ITU's emergency committee is expected to convene within the week to review the situation, though no formal agenda has been released.
Questions remain regarding the precise extent of the damage to Iran's national grid and whether the attacks were part of a broader escalation in regional tensions. The ITU's response will likely influence international pressure on the involved parties and could set a precedent for the protection of digital infrastructure in conflict zones.