Source: AFP
Meta announced Thursday that it has removed the Facebook and Instagram accounts of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for violating its content policy.
“We have removed these accounts for repeatedly violating our Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy,” a Meta spokesperson told AFP.
Although Meta did not mention the Israel-Hamas war, the company is under pressure to ban the leader from Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
After the attack, Khamenei supported Hamas’ blood rage but denied any Iranian involvement.
He has also publicly supported Palestinian retaliation against Israel’s bombing of Gaza, as well as attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Khamenei, who has been in power in Iran for 35 years, has five million followers on Instagram.
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![](https://images.yen.com.gh/images/12923013f6359ce6.jpg?impolicy=cropped-image&imwidth=256)
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“In an effort to prevent and disrupt real-world harm, we do not allow organizations or individuals that proclaim a violent mission or engage in violence to have a presence on our platforms,” states the policy on which Meta based its decision.
It also says it will “abolish the glorification, support and representation of various dangerous organizations and individuals.”
Hamas has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.
Instagram and Facebook are banned in Iran, but Iranians use virtual private networks, or VPNs, to bypass restrictions and access banned websites or apps, including US-owned Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Source: AFP