The US is temporarily waiving sanctions on Iran's state broadcaster, a senior Obama administration official has said.
The move could be seen as a confidence-building measure as the US, Iran and five other world powers prepare to open talks this month on a final agreement on Iran's disputed nuclear programme.
The official said the move comes after the US determined that "harmful satellite interference" was not currently emanating from Iran.
The US levied sanctions on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting last year, charging that the state-run broadcaster was blocking foreign channels that the government found objectionable and citing human rights groups who say the broadcaster distorted and falsified reports.
The official confirmed the waiver the same day the Treasury Department announced it was penalizing dozens of foreign companies and individuals for evading Iran sanctions.
The targets of the sanctions are located in Turkey, Spain, Germany, Georgia, Afghanistan, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Liechtenstein.
The broadcasting 180-day broadcasting waiver will allow non-US companies to provide the Iranian broadcaster with satellite services without being exposed to American penalties, according to the official, who was not authorized to discuss the move publicly by name and thus spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official said the actions were reversible if satellite interference from Iran begins again. The US will reevaluate the situation in two months.
The waiver is separate from the USD 7 billion in international sanctions relief Iran secured as part of the six-month nuclear agreement it signed last year with the US, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia. The parties are due to begin a new round of talks later this month, aimed at working out a final agreement to ease international concerns over Iran's nuclear programme.
It was unclear what the economic impact of the IRIB sanctions waiver would be.
