The idea of stratified internet access, introduced after the unblocking of WhatsApp, signaled stricter governmental control over the internet and was met with opposition from various groups. This idea was initially proposed before WhatsApp was unblocked by a representative advocating for governance of cyberspace. In December 2024 (Azar 1403), Hossein Ali Haji Deligani, Vice Chairman of the Article 90 Commission of the Parliament, officially announced the introduction of tiered access (stratified internet) in the framework of the new “Protection Plan.” It became clear that stratified internet access would eventually be implemented under this plan. According to him, the new Protection Plan—renamed the “Regulation of Cyberspace”—seeks to apply tiered access levels. Haji Deligani stated: “The name of this plan is no longer ‘Protection,’ and it has not yet been presented to the Parliament. This plan is similar to the laws of Western societies, meaning it aims for tiered usage and access. The difference is that we have abandoned governance worse than they have. This plan does not interfere with the lifting of filters and can frame access within specific guidelines.” (1)

The Minister of Science Ignites Fresh Speculation About Stratified Internet

The issue of stratified internet gained new momentum with recent remarks by the Minister of Science, opening a new chapter in the wave of online news and analyses. On January 7, 2025 (18 Dey 1403), in an interview with Mehr News Agency titled “Good News,” the Minister of Science announced that his ministry, in cooperation with the Committee for Determining Instances of Criminal Content, had held discussions and hoped YouTube would be unblocked for university professors and students. The media interpreted this announcement as another alarm signaling stratified internet access. (2)

The Supreme Council of Cyberspace is reportedly considering unblocking YouTube in the next stage of lifting internet restrictions. According to a probable resolution reported by Mehr News Agency, stratified internet access or creating a new interface for YouTube is being considered. What is clear is the use of the term “governance-compliant gateway” in this probable resolution, although the official text has not yet been published. In this regard, Mehr News Agency reported on the probable resolution of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, stating: “The council’s resolution includes 11 measures, such as providing YouTube through governance-compliant gateways, approving a bill to combat fake news in the Cabinet and referring it to Parliament as a matter of urgency, implementing the policy document on traffic pricing, revenue and content sharing, creating a sustainable ecosystem for public content production on domestic platforms, facilitating and encouraging investment to develop and strengthen diverse domestic content and service platforms by government entities, and the private sector.” (3)

Among the council’s other probable resolutions that further fuel speculation about stratified internet is the widespread use of domestic messaging apps for public institutions, offices, and agencies. According to this resolution: “It also includes providing services such as electronic prescription issuance, banking transaction notifications, and communication between government offices and citizens exclusively through selected domestic messaging apps; banning the official use of foreign platforms; requiring the presence of institutions on domestic platforms; reviewing and adjusting how content violations are handled on domestic and foreign platforms; allocating sufficient processing and storage infrastructure to selected domestic messaging apps and social networks for the next year; negotiating with foreign platforms, with an emphasis on new platforms; and revising tariffs to reduce the use of foreign platforms, VPNs, and proxy services, alongside reducing operators’ revenues from foreign traffic relative to domestic traffic, all of which are part of the second phase of this action plan.” (4)

When Stratified Internet Wasn’t in Vogue but Already Existed in Iran

In 2022 (1401), among the letters sent by various entities requesting unrestricted internet access from the Ministry of Communications, the request for open internet access for university professors was approved. In a letter sent by Morteza Farkhi, Deputy Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, to university presidents regarding unrestricted internet access for faculty members, it stated: “Pursuant to the resolution of the 129th session of the Committee for Determining Instances of Criminal Content, please prepare and send the list of the institution’s faculty members in Excel format based on the attached form for the purpose of unrestricted internet access for scientific, educational, research, and technological platforms and websites as soon as possible to facilitate further actions.” This letter, which was copied to Mohammad Ali Zolfi Gol, the Minister of Science in the 13th government, referenced the resolution of the Committee for Determining Instances of Criminal Content. This led experts at the time to conclude that the same authority that restricted international internet access for the general public had enabled certain groups to access unrestricted internet. (5)

By mid-2023 (1402), as internet filtering intensified across the country, the topic of stratified internet was repeatedly raised in the media, each time sparking widespread reactions. During this period, the 13th government proposed a plan granting groups such as freelancers, foreign tourists, and university professors unrestricted internet access—contrary to the general population. Experts interpreted this move as discrimination and the granting of special privileges to certain segments of society. (6)

The Minister of Science Backpedals on Stratified Internet

After the initial remarks by the Minister of Science were publicized, he denied plans to lift YouTube restrictions for specific groups in society. Hossein Simai Sarrraf clarified: “YouTube is primarily used for educational purposes. We have prepared a detailed and substantiated report on YouTube’s role in research, education, and training and submitted it to the Committee for Determining Instances of Criminal Content. We are very hopeful that, based on the negotiations we’ve conducted, YouTube restrictions will be lifted for at least professors and higher education students.” (7)

The state news agency supported his statement, rejecting allegations and writing: “Following up on the recent remarks by Hossein Simai Sarrraf, the Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, we learned that the Ministry of Science has prepared a comprehensive and substantiated report on YouTube’s contribution to research, education, and training. The report has been submitted to the Committee for Determining Instances of Criminal Content to negotiate unblocking the platform for educational use by professors and students. The Ministry of Science is simultaneously negotiating with the Ministry of Communications to provide free, high-volume internet access to graduate students to enhance their opportunities for accessing online resources.” (8)

The Ministry of Communications Also Denies Involvement

These statements were issued as Alireza Abdollahi Nejad, head of the Public Relations Office of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, emphasized that this issue is an agreement between the Ministry of Science and the Judiciary based on a protocol of the Committee for Determining Instances of Criminal Content and is unrelated to the Ministry of Communications. He stated: “To my knowledge, this access is specific to academic and research environments. The Minister of Science likely referred to free internet access in universities when mentioning the Ministry of Communications.” He reiterated the view of Minister Sattar Hashemi, who previously declared that the Ministry of Communications is firmly against stratified internet access. (9)

Ongoing and Ambiguous Negotiations with Global Platforms

While efforts to unblock YouTube continue, Parliament members are pushing for penalties against VPN sellers. A member of Parliament also claimed that Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, had entered negotiations with Iran. However, prior to the extensive filtering of Telegram and Instagram, Iran deemed such negotiations with foreign platforms pointless due to a lack of fair laws. Following WhatsApp’s unblocking, it became clear that Meta had not accepted Iran’s conditions; rather, WhatsApp’s rules coincidentally aligned with Iran’s regulations.

References:

1. “The New Protection Plan Launched,” Khabar Online, December 4, 2024 (13 Azar 1403).
2. “Good News from the Minister of Science on Unblocking YouTube,” Mehr News Agency, January 7, 2025 (18 Dey 1403).
3. “Phased Plan for Lifting Filtering,” Mehr News Agency, December 25, 2024 (4 Dey 1403).
4. Ibid.
5. “Unfiltered Internet Activated for Professors,” Mehr News Agency, January 24, 2023 (4 Bahman 1401).
6. “Digital Divide with Stratified Internet,” Donya-e-Eqtesad, January 9, 2025 (19 Dey 1403).
7. “Minister of Science: Hopeful for Unblocking YouTube,” Entekhab News, January 7, 2025 (18 Dey 1403).
8. “What Was Behind the Minister of Science’s Support for Unblocking YouTube?” Khabar Online, January 8, 2025 (19 Dey 1403).
9. “Is the Ministry of Communications Against Stratified Internet?” ISNA, January 7, 2025 (18 Dey 1403).