X accused of violating sanctions by selling Premium accounts to Iranian leaders
3 months ago
- #Social Media
- #Elon Musk
- #Iran Sanctions
- Elon Musk publicly supports Iranian protesters while his company X profits from Iranian government officials, potentially violating US sanctions.
- Tech Transparency Project (TTP) identifies over two dozen X accounts with blue check marks run by Iranian officials, sharing state propaganda.
- X Premium subscriptions, costing $8-$40/month, allegedly boost Iranian government messages during an internet blackout.
- US sanctions may be undermined as X provides a platform for Iranian officials to spread propaganda.
- Several Iranian officials' blue check marks were removed after WIRED's inquiry, but others remain.
- Protests in Iran over economic crisis led to brutal crackdowns, with unknown death tolls.
- Trump and Musk publicly supported protesters, with Musk offering free Starlink access in Iran.
- X's verification system allows Iranian officials to pay for premium services, bypassing gray check marks for verified officials.
- Legal experts suggest X's actions may violate sanctions if services were provided for a fee to sanctioned entities.
- Previous reports accuse X of providing premium services to US-sanctioned terrorists, raising concerns over legal compliance.