Iran International
A government directive that may grant preferential internet access to certain groups is facing a fierce backlash from Iranians who say it institutionalizes privileges for well-connected insiders and deepens censorship for everyone else.
The uproar began after the quiet release of a vaguely worded by-law from the Supreme Council of Cyberspace (SCC), calling for a committee be established to protect online businesses from “unlawful or arbitrary interference.”
Many Iranians interpreted it as a gateway to grant faster, less filtered internet to favored groups—especially those linked to the government or commercial sectors.
“Tiered internet—no matter what deceptive name it hides behind—is a clear injustice against the Iranian people,” outspoken IT professor Ali Sharifi Zarchi posted on X.
The skepticism stems from years of worsening digital repression: Iran consistently ranks among the lowest in the world for internet freedom, and a de facto tiered system already exists, with officials and state insiders enjoying full access to platforms like X that are officially banned for the general public.
“Accepting class-based internet means accepting a worse internet for ‘the other’, said digital educator and influencer Amir Emad Mirmirani - widely known as Jadi.
"It means one day they’ll say: ‘You work for that publication? Then you don’t qualify.’ Or ‘You took that position back then? Then you’re excluded,’” Jadi posted on X.
'Actions not words'
President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had pledged to expand digital access during his campaign, sought to calm public anger.
“Access to free information is a right for all citizens, not a privilege for a select few. The government is obligated and determined to provide free, high-quality, and inclusive internet,” he posted on X on July 16.
But his statement—delivered via a presumably unrestricted connection—was met with skepticism.
“The president and his spokesperson came on Twitter using the unfiltered internet reserved for officials to say they’re against class-based internet,” Jadi quipped in another post.
University lecturer Shiva Arashteh was more direct: “You can’t oppose (unequal access) and sign a by-law that grants privileges to certain groups. Your words and actions are far apart.”
Facilitating repression?
The authority issuing the controversial directive, the SCC, is formally chaired by the president but is dominated by personnel appointed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and officials from conservative institutions, including the Revolutionary Guards and the Organization for Islamic Propagation.
As a result, the president and his cabinet hold little sway in shaping internet policy, despite chairing the body on paper.
Entrepreneurs and educators warn of deeper consequences.
“The survival of a business depends on customer acquisition, and a very large portion of our marketing activities and traffic are conducted on filtered or restricted platforms,” said entrepreneur Alireza Ghanadan.
Civil society groups and technologists say the infrastructure for discriminatory access is already in place.
During prior state-imposed shutdowns, government agencies, state media and affiliated users reportedly maintained access to platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram and Google, while the broader population went dark.
