Although May was relatively free from dramatic policy developments, we have continued to observe a gradual shift in the balance of power in Iran’s ICT policymaking sphere, with the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution (SCCR) officially stepping up its engagement with the Supreme Council of Cyberspace (SCC).
Aside from this, Iranian officials have continued with their policy of promoting domestic messaging apps by announcing Baleh, Soroush, and Gap as eligible to for official use in Iran.
At the same time, Iran’s tech companies are emerging as powerful champions of user privacy, with the online retailer Zanbil defying the Cyber Police’s demands to hand over user data. Going forward, and in lack of any meaningful statutory privacy protections, such actions may become increasingly crucial to guarantee users’ rights.
Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution Expands ICT Policy Engagement
On 7 May the Supreme Council of Cyberspace (SCC) and the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution (SCCR) signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ to further cooperation between the two bodies. As we have recently written, it is evident that the appointment of Professor Saied Reza Ameli as SCCR Secretary is leading to more cooperation. Despite rarely involving itself in recent years, since the appointment of Ameli the SCCR is fast becoming an active and leading player in Iran’s online landscape.
Supreme Council of Cyberspace Declares Iran Regional Leader In Online Platform Development
On 2 May Secretary of the SCC Abolhassan Firouzabadi stated that Iran is the regional leader when it comes to online platforms. He also said that as people today live on online platforms, it is important to no longer be indifferent to them. It is Iran’s long-standing view and ambition to support a wide range of domestic apps and platforms as part of the development of its ‘National Information Network (SHOMA)
Supreme Council of Cyberspace Hiatus Continues
There were no SCC meetings in May, with the last meeting taking place on 15 April. After a period of regular meetings, the last few months have constituted a period of relative inactivity for the body.
This comes on the heels of a number of personnel changes and personal clashes, including the controversial appointment of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution (SCCR)’s Secretary Professor Saied Reza Ameli to the SCC.
Tehran’s New Prosecutor-General Raises Concerns Over Internet Usage
In his first public statement on 4 May, Tehran’s newly appointed Prosecutor-General, Ali Alghasi-Mehr, raised concerns over what he termed “undesirable cyberspace”. He asserted that cyberspace “should not turn into a base for questioning the Islamic regime’s values, disgracing people and smearing their character.”
New ICT Project Worth Billions Unveiled in Western Azerbaijan
On 21 May ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi unveiled an ICT project in Western Azerbaijan. The project is worth 1.84tn IRR. During the ceremony, Jahromi announced that 744 villages in the province had been connected to SHOMA’s broadband network in the last year, and that 1,200 telecommunication towers had been upgraded.
ICT Ministry Promises Widespread Broadband Connections by 2021
On 17 May, onWorld Information Society Day, the ICT Ministry announced that 80% of villages nationwide would be connected to the national broadband network by the end of the Sixth Development Plan in 2021.
78% of Villages in Mazandaran Province Have Access to High-Speed Internet
On 18 May the head of ICT in Mazandaran Province, Yadollah Tahmasbi, announced that 78% of villages in the province are now connected to high ADSL broadband, 3G, or 4G internet.
Iranian Spyware Targets Civil Society
On 20 May the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) published a report in which they claimed that since early 2018, at least 74 people in Iran, Europe and the United States have fallen victim to and Iranian spyware targeting civil society and activists.
The report also claims that the official website for the Iranian Gonabadi Sufi order, www.majzooban.org, came under intense state-sponsored DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks on May 5–7 2019. The Gonabadi Sufi order has long been persecuted in Iran, and this is part of a long-standing campaign by government actors targeting minorities and human rights activists in the country.
FATA Demands Access to Information Held by Popular Online Shop
On 26 May the CEO of Zanbil.ir, an online shop in Iran, announced that access to the shop’s payment system had been blocked. This was as a result of Zanbil.ir declining to respond to a request for information by Iran’s Cyber Police (FATA).
Vakilzadeh told FATA that they would not comply unless presented with a formal written request. This is the second Iranian digital company that has publicly condemned illegal requests for personal data from Iranian authorities in recent months. With increasing volumes of data being held by domestic tech start-ups, these businesses will play an increasingly important role in protecting the privacy of Iranian internet users.
Efforts To Coax Users Onto Domestic Platforms Continue
On 11 May, the Committee for Content and Digital Services at the National Center for Cyberspace announced that the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is leading on the development of a document entitled the “Comprehensive Plan for Organising E-books”.
This is part of ongoing efforts to increase the content and services available on the National Information Network (SHOMA). By doing so, the government aims to entice people into using domestic services more frequently.
Domestic Messaging Apps Given Official Seal of Approval
On 5 May, Iran’s Supreme Council for Cyberspace (SCC) announced that the domestic messaging apps Baleh, Soroush, and Gap are eligible for official use, and can be promoted by official bodies (including governmental departments, state-affiliated institutions, and media organisations).
Narrowing down the list of state-approved domestic messaging apps to three constitutes a significant development in the next phase of growing their user base in Iran. We expect to see new features rolled out on these platforms, and more sustained promotion and advertising through official channels in the coming months.
