When the Internet Was Shut Down, the Image Spoke/ Raha Sabet Sarvestani

The release of videos related to the events of Kahrizak, at a time when the internet was widely shut down inside Iran, triggered a wave of shock and reaction among public opinion abroad—particularly among the Iranian diaspora, international observers, politicians, and human rights activists. This phenomenon cannot be regarded merely as a media event; rather, […]...

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The Rollout of Tiered Internet Access at the University of Tehran/ Amir Aghaei

If you flip through any glossary of specialized terminology, you won’t find the term “class-based internet” or a precise definition of it. However, by implementing this project over the past 20 years, the rulers of the Islamic Republic have compelled Iranian internet users to adopt a term to describe it. Class-based internet refers to the […]...

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The right to access the internet is suspended/ Mohammad Hadi Jafarpour

A few days before the start of the twelve-day war, the issue of internet classification caused some political and civil activists to criticize the decision, referring to the president’s promise to remove filtering. Such restrictions on citizens’ rights are being imposed while in the country’s political-judicial structure, various rules and laws have been formulated and […]...

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When the Twelve-Day War Reached the Internet/ Fereshteh Goli

In today’s world, the internet has a clear meaning: a tool for fast, direct, and uncensored communication among people, with access to firsthand news and information—even if that information is sometimes incorrect or misleading. In any case, the right to access the internet is recognized in international law as part of fundamental human rights and […]...

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Will Telegram and X Be Unblocked? An Interview with Keyvan Noghrehkar/ Ali Kalaei

The issue of filtering and removing restrictions on various internet platforms has been a highly debated topic in Iran over the past few years. While the Minister of Communications has stated that lifting the ban on all platforms is on the government’s agenda—and recently, WhatsApp and Google Play were unblocked—public opinion and observers are left […]...

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An Interview with Citizens on the Daily Impacts of Internet Filtering/ Dina Ghalibaf

Internet filtering in Iran has become one of the most complex and serious social and economic issues. This policy has not only affected citizens’ daily lives but also challenged public perceptions of trust and transparency in governance. In this report, we visited Enghelab Street, one of the busiest areas in Tehran, to speak with various […]...

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From Financial Gains to Security Policies: Filtering and the VPN Sales Mafia in Iran/ Seyed Mohammad Sohofi

Unofficial reports suggest that the financial turnover from VPN sales in Iran is remarkably high due to the widespread use of these tools and the lack of transparency in this market. With the sharp rise in demand for VPNs following the widespread filtering of social media platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, […]...

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The Mafia of Filtering or VPNs: Which Side Does the Government Listen to in Its Fight Against a Free Internet?/ Amir Aghaei

Radical members of parliament, the spokesperson for the Pezeshkian administration, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, members of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, and many other names—while differing significantly in their political approaches and perspectives on managing the internet in Iran, they all share one thing in common: beating the drum of the VPN mafia. […]...

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Stress and Psychological Impacts of Communication Restrictions on Users/ Alireza Goodarzi

To have a simple voice or video call with friends living outside Iran, I sometimes have to open and close several apps before one finally connects us for a few minutes. They can’t access domestic platforms, and we can’t use most international apps. I have to try multiple VPNs to find one that works. One […]...

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Why Insist on Maintaining Filtering?/ Majid Shia’ali

One of the main promises of the Pezeshkian administration was to lift the filtering of social media platforms. In recent months, reformists have tried to achieve a symbolic success for the unsupported Pezeshkian administration by lifting the ban on some social networks amidst the current crises. However, despite all these efforts, the administration’s achievements have […]...

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The Digital Economy in the Cage of Filtering/ Ahmad Alavi

According to the fourth report by the Tehran E-Commerce Association, Iran ranks 98th among 100 countries in terms of internet quality. In this ranking, Iran is third from the bottom, following Cuba and Turkmenistan. Furthermore, Iran and China are at the top of the list for the highest number of filtered domains. Social media filtering […]...

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The Internet in Iran Has No Meaning Without VPNs/ Soroush Ahmadi

The issue of filtering in Iran is as complex as it is straightforward. If we set aside the question of why filtering occurs in Iran and why we are the second-most restricted country for internet access after China, we can discuss the surrounding issues. The internet, the most modern method of communication in the world, […]...

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