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Smartphone user in Tehran

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In Iran, the so-called Supreme Cyber ​​Council (SCC) is responsible for the Internet - even if the regime wants to restrict access to the network. Shortly before the elections, the council announced massive internet restrictions. According to Iranian media reports, the SCC declared a ban on so-called tunnel services (VPN) for the first time in a resolution. In addition, advertising on “foreign platforms” should be prohibited, as the decree shows. Instead, the Cyber ​​Council called on private companies to advertise their services on domestic apps and websites. On March 1, Iran will elect a new parliament and the Council of Experts, a body of Islamic clerics. There can be no question of free elections. Critical politicians were not allowed.

Users in Iran have been complaining about internet restrictions for days. In particular, VPNs for bypassing internet blocks are blocked or only available to a limited extent. According to the newspaper Shargh, the new restrictions were introduced about two weeks ago. A telecommunications company that reports to the Ministry of Information has restricted numerous VPN connections and their protocols, an expert told the paper.

Always restrictions

Iran's authorities have repeatedly restricted the Internet and VPN services in the past, for example during large waves of protests like in autumn 2022. Social networks, including the platforms Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram, are blocked in Iran. The authorities usually justify this by wanting to counteract alleged false information.

Many people in the country of almost 90 million people spend a lot of money on VPN apps to bypass the blocks. Until now, the use of tunnel services was a legal gray area. Instagram and Telegram are also popular platforms for companies to advertise their products and services there. Internet and trade associations have repeatedly criticized the blocks.

The Cyber ​​Council was founded in 2012 on the orders of head of state and religious leader Ali Khamenei and deals with “dangers of the Internet”. It is considered the Internet policy body of the Islamic Republic and, among other things, decides on the blocking of websites. The EU imposed sanctions on the Council in autumn 2023.

col/dpa