Iran’s National Security Council recently approved a plan to grant paid Internet access to certain groups, with daily usage limits on foreign websites and international data traffic.
The internet has been shut down in Iran since the US and Israel launched attacks on the country on February 28.
“Internet Pro” does not refer to any technological upgrades, but allows users standard Internet access that bypasses the block.
According to journalist and Internet researcher Solmaz Ekder, major platforms such as Instagram, X and YouTube – which have long been blocked in Iran – still cannot be used by many “Internet Pro” users without a virtual private network (VPN).
Ekder has been living in exile in Europe for five years. She works for Filterban, also known as Filterwatch, an Iranian digital rights organization that monitors Internet censorship, digital repression, and surveillance in Iran. The findings are often used by journalists, activists, and researchers who study digital repression in Iran.
Iran’s longest internet shutdown in history
The current shutdown, which has now lasted more than 80 days, is the longest ever in Iran, but not the first of its kind.
For years, the Iranian security apparatus has used this method to disrupt communications between Iranians and cut off contact with the outside world. This happened most recently during nationwide protests in January, which were brutally suppressed by the regime.
Millions of people are now once again cut off from the digital economy and communications.
According to government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani, “Internet Pro” aims to “prevent disruption of economic activities and ensure business communications in times of crisis.”
What is ‘Internet Pro’?
This service is provided to certain professional groups, such as Chamber of Commerce members, startups, technology companies, and retailers. They get a starting package of 50 gigabytes of data, which equates to around $11 (about €9.5).
“That’s a lot of money in Iran,” Ekder said. Since the war began, many families have been under increasing economic pressure. Inflation has exceeded 50% and the rial has depreciated, leading to a sharp increase in the prices of basic necessities.
Destroyed industrial facilities and massive production losses have severely affected the economy. Thousands of jobs have been lost.
Furthermore, millions of small income sources have been destroyed due to Internet blocks.
“Many women in small towns and villages sell products like dry fruits, handmade clothes or food online,” Ekder said. “This income played a vital role in providing for their families, but now this opportunity has been taken away from them.”
Internet access has become a luxury in Iran
It has been widely criticized in Iran. newspaper Shargh And other media outlets have criticized the introduction of “Internet Pro”, which transforms access to communications and information from a public and civil right to a privilege.
Women who serve as their families’ primary breadwinners and who previously earned online income along with being students are not included in the groups that can access “Internet Pro”.
A 19-year-old engineering student told DW on condition of anonymity that she was not sure she would accept the offer of access to an “Internet Pro.”
Anytime user is identified through their national ID number and registered mobile number. The student said she continued purchasing a VPN from the black market, which allowed her to continue accessing the internet. However, many of her friends and acquaintances can no longer afford a VPN, she said.
“It has become extremely difficult for people in Iran to access independent news and reliable information, which has been blocked in Iran since 2009,” said Oliver Lino, DW’s internet freedom expert.
“Since then, we have provided people in the country with tools to circumvent censorship, allowing access to independent journalism,” Lino said. “However, these tools are no longer effective during almost complete Internet shutdowns.”
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has promised in recent weeks that internet service will be restored soon.
In Iran, multiple agencies – from the National Security Council to the Supreme Council for Cybersecurity – are involved in decisions related to the state’s approach to digital control.
A new crisis management team has been established under the leadership of Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, reportedly to end the “plurality of voices” and overlapping jurisdictions in Iran’s internet policy.
But what this means is not clear. According to information received from the newspaper sharkGovernment officials are explicitly prohibited from publicly explaining the details or responsibilities of the new body or discussing them with the media.
This article was translated from German