YouTube has hosted content from individuals and organizations sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for their support of or involvement with Iran’s Islamic regime, according to a recent report by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP). The report, released last week, details the presence of numerous sanctioned entities operating channels on the platform.

Among those identified by TTP are Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and cleric Mohammed Mehdi Mirbagheri from Iran’s Assembly of Experts. The report also names several other notable sanctioned figures and entities, including Babak Zanjani, an Iranian businessman accused of aiding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in sanctions evasion through money laundering; an Iranian special forces unit implicated in the use of lethal force against unarmed protesters; and Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, sanctioned for his involvement in oil sales to the Assad regime and a 1994 antisemitic attack in Buenos Aires.

Additional sanctioned individuals highlighted include Naji Sharifi Zindashti, an Iranian official accused of targeting regime opponents abroad for kidnapping and assassination, as well as multiple Iranian state broadcasters, including the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, which has been under U.S. sanctions for over a decade.

TTP’s investigation revealed that Babak Zanjani owns several YouTube channels, including two for his holding company DotOne. Under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) 50 Percent Rule, any company majority-owned by a sanctioned individual is also subject to sanctions, raising questions about the legality of their operations on the platform.

The report also points to Nobitex, Iran’s largest digital asset exchange, which was sanctioned on June 2 for facilitating payments linked to Iran’s terrorist activities and IRGC-related transactions. Nobitex, along with other sanctioned Iranian exchanges such as Wallex, Bitpin, and Ramzinex, maintain YouTube channels. Additionally, Surabaya Hobby CV, an Indonesian firm sanctioned in December 2023 for supplying drone components to Iran, was found to have an active channel as recently as October 2024.

The report noted an instance where an advertisement for Iran’s Cultural Heritage Ministry played on one of these channels, inviting viewers to apply for jobs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. While it remains unclear whether the channels have generated direct revenue, TTP cautioned that YouTube's hosting and allowing advertisements on sanctioned accounts could constitute violations of U.S. sanctions laws. They warned advertisers risk having their ads inadvertently displayed alongside content linked to entities deemed threats to U.S. national security.

Google, YouTube’s parent company, did not respond to requests for comment from the initial report’s publisher. However, a Google spokesperson previously stated that the company is committed to complying with applicable sanctions and trade laws, and that it takes appropriate action when accounts breach policies.

Following the publication of the TTP report, YouTube removed 63 of the identified channels within hours. The extent of the issue and measures required to prevent future violations remain under scrutiny.