{"id":1823,"date":"2020-02-19T03:49:50","date_gmt":"2020-02-19T03:49:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/?p=1823"},"modified":"2025-06-03T08:41:05","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T08:41:05","slug":"filterwatch-policy-monitor-january-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/2020\/02\/19\/filterwatch-policy-monitor-january-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy Monitor \u2014 January 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It goes without saying that January was a tumultuous month for Iran. The United States\u2019 targeted assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani and Iran\u2019s subsequent retaliatory missile strikes into Iraq saw a dramatic escalation of regional tensions. Then, Iran\u2019s subsequent downing of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 \u2014 which resulted in the deaths of all 176 passengers \u2014 sparked a fresh political crisis in Iran. Violent clashes between protesters and armed police soon erupted in the streets, coming only days after hundreds of thousands took to the streets to participate in public mourning events for Soleimani, where stampedes killed 56 people and injured more than 200 others.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly these events also spilled over into online spaces, with a number of reports of renewed network disruptions. Our January report catalogues these fresh developments, as well as tracking the ongoing impacts of sanctions on Iranian services, the Supreme Council for Cyberspace\u2019s new statements about the National information Network\u2019s implementation, and reports of renewed cyberattacks against the ICT Ministry.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere,\u00a0Filterwatch<\/em>\u00a0published a\u00a0technical analysis<\/a>\u00a0of network disruptions in Iran during this period of renewed unrest. We\u2019ve got more of this to come in our new\u00a0Network Monitor<\/a>\u00a0series, which will monitor network disruptions and connectivity issues in Iran on a monthly basis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Draft \u201cManaging Social Messaging Apps\u201d Bill is Discussed in Iran\u2019s Parliamentary Cultural Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n

On\u00a05 January<\/a>, the Spokesperson for the Parliamentary Cultural Committee Seyedeh Fatemeh Zolghadr (a member of the pro-reform faction of the Parliament) announced that the Committee was reviewing the final draft of the \u201cManaging Social Messaging Apps\u201d bill. According to Zolghadr, the aims of the draft document relate to the \u201cprotection of the rights of Internet users\u201d and \u201cthe management of messaging apps\u201d. Zolghadr was elected on the pro-reform \u2018List of Hope\u2019 in the 2016 legislative elections.<\/p>\n

The original proposed bill from\u00a0November 2018\u00a0<\/a>contains<\/a>\u00a0a number of important recommendations relating to the regulation of messaging apps via the National Information Network (NIN), and outlines the responsibilities of app providers towards their users. The more significant proposal, however, is the removal of the ICT Ministry\u2019s responsibility for \u201cprotecting Iran\u2019s digital borders\u201d and for preventing \u201cillegal data exchange\u201d.<\/p>\n

Find out more about the plan in our breakdown here<\/a>. Iranian Parliament experts\u2019 assessments of the bill and their suggested amendments are\u00a0also available here.<\/a><\/p>\n

ICT Ministry\u2019s Plan for the National Information Network is not Approved by the Supreme Council for Cyberspace<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following numerous disputes\u00a0in December<\/a>\u00a0between the ICT Ministry and the SCC about the progress of the NIN, SCC Secretary Abdolhassan Firouzabadi requested that the ICT Ministry submit a \u201ccomprehensive NIN development plan\u201d to the SCC within three weeks.<\/p>\n

On\u00a020 January<\/a>, it was reported that the ICT Ministry\u2019s plan failed to secure the approval of SCC members when the body met on 11 January. Instead, it decided that a National Centre for Cyberspace (NCC) working group would be responsible for allocating roles and responsibilities to various ministries and organisations to deliver the \u201ccorrect implementation of the NIN\u201d. The working group will review the work of the ICT Ministry and report back to the SCC with its recommendations.<\/p>\n

Renewed Confusion Over Role of the Executive Council of Information Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

On\u00a021 January<\/a>\u00a0the Executive Council of Information Technology (ECIT) held a meeting chaired by President Rouhani, who is the Head of the ECIT. The meeting marked the first time in 14 years that a meeting of ECIT was chaired by a sitting President. The ECIT (known as the Supreme Council for Information Technology until 2015) was renamed following the Supreme Leader\u2019s 2015 second term mandate to the SCC. The mandate also called for the termination of any other supreme councils running \u201cin parallel\u201d to the SCC. However, at the request of the ICT Ministry, the SCC allowed for the Supreme Council for Information Technology to continue its work under the name of the ECIT.<\/p>\n

On\u00a017 November 2019<\/a>, ECIT\u2019s statute was approved by a delegation of ministers which narrowed the Council\u2019s objectives to establishing and expanding eGovernment services, which is a core component of the NIN.<\/p>\n

However, despite the ECIT\u2019s new statute, members of the SCC such as Mohammad Hassan Entezari have\u00a0expressed concern<\/a>\u00a0over functional and executive overlaps with the SCC. The ITEC, which is headed by the President, contains almost no representatives appointed by the Supreme Leader, with presidential appointees (such as cabinet ministers) making up the majority of the ECIT\u2019s members. Individuals such as Entezari are concerned therefore that the role of the ECIT will inadvertently expand to encompass policy issues which could undermine decisions made by the SCC and the Supreme Leader.<\/p>\n

It remains to be seen if these criticisms will lead to any substantive changes in the makeup or the mandate of the ECIT, to limit the risk of conflicts with the SCC.<\/p>\n

President and the Judiciary Row Over Who is in Charge of Cyberspace<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Judiciary notice that was sent to local jurisdictions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On\u00a018 January<\/a>, a notice signed by Chief Justice Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi was sent to regional judiciary officers, notifying them that the responsibility for issuing licences and regulations relating to audio and visuals in cyberspace falls with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), citing commentary provided by the Guardian Council on 1st October 2000, Articles 44 and 175 of the Constitution, and the Supreme Leader\u2019s declaration addressed to the President dated 13 September. IRIB holds a monopoly over domestic TV and radio broadcasting in Iran. Raisi\u2019s notice states that any IPTV and VoD services that are not licensed by the IRIB are to be considered illegal.<\/p>\n

Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi\u00a0responded<\/a>\u00a0to Raisi stating: \u201cwith respect, these matters relate to the SCC\u201d.<\/p>\n

The subject of online broadcasting inform of licensing of IPTV and VoDs has long been a point of contention between IRIB officials and the Executive. We have written in the past on the\u00a0legal background<\/a>\u00a0of the ongoing conflict and\u00a0its political significance<\/a>. The continued confusion between the governmental bodies shows that such questions have yet to be resolved conclusively.<\/p>\n

The Supreme Council for Cyberspace Considers \u201cFree Bandwidth\u201d for NIN Users<\/strong><\/p>\n

In an interview on\u00a010 January<\/a>\u00a0former ICT Minister and SCC member Reza Taghipour referred to ongoing SCC discussions around making domestically routed bandwidth \u2014 which operates through the NIN \u2014 free to users. He added that this proposal requires further review by the Council.<\/p>\n

The introduction of differentiated tariffs for domestically and globally routed internet bandwidth is a practice that has been implemented by ISPs since\u00a0May 2017<\/a>, and which has effectively ended net neutrality in Iran.<\/p>\n

Such financial incentives have been designed to coax users to migrate to (frequently unsecure) domestic services, and to dissuade them from using VPN services and circumvention tools. Such behaviours leave users vulnerable to government surveillance, and the potential misuse of data by other unauthorised parties.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Telecommunication Company of Iran Calls for Cooperation with Iranian IT Companies and Producers of Network Equipment<\/strong><\/p>\n

On\u00a01 January<\/a>\u00a0Mehr News\u00a0<\/em>reported that the Telecommunication Company of Iran (TIC) \u2014 a major government-affiliated telecommunications provider \u2014 wrote to the ICT Guild Organisation asking for an introduction to companies actively involved in designing and producing network equipment.<\/p>\n

Reportedly, the letter from the TIC announced the need for IT and network equipment to expand its \u201csuperstructure and infrastructure\u201d a move which is in line with the Supreme Leader\u2019s calls for self-reliance and creating a \u201cresilient economy\u201d, which is in reference to the numerous sanctions placed on Iran. There is no indication as yet that the pressure of the sanctions are impacting Iran\u2019s internet infrastructure negatively.<\/p>\n

Fiber Optic Expansion Project in Markazi Province Begins<\/strong><\/p>\n

On\u00a01 January<\/a>, Iranian telecommunications provider Irancell announced the opening of a new fibre optic expansion project in the city of Arak, Markazi Province, in collaboration with Arak\u2019s local authority. It was anticipated that fiber optic expansion would be impacted by the sanctions against Iran, however, a number of new projects have been announced since last year.<\/p>\n

Telecommunication Issues in Sistan and Baluchestan Reportedly \u201cResolved\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the south-eastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan was hit by devastating floods during December and January, telecommunication services were massively disrupted or disconnected. According to the ICT Ministry\u2019s Head of Provincial Coordination Office, Mehrdad Torabian, a number of cities in the province \u2014 namely Qasr-e Qand, Nikshahr, Fanuj and Pishin \u2014 were disconnected due to power cuts and fiber optic damage. According to Torabian on\u00a013 January<\/a>, telecommunication services in the province are \u201cin the clear\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Sale of RighTel SIM Cards Suspended Due to Regulatory Non-Compliance<\/strong><\/p>\n

On\u00a011 January<\/a>\u00a0the Director-General for the Consumer Rights Protection Office Peyman Gharedagi announced that the sale of RighTel SIM cards was suspended for three days due to \u201cnon-compliance\u201d with recent regulations to verify customers\u2019 identities. Identity verification is performed by sending a \u201cone-time password\u201d to the customers\u2019s existing, personally identifiable mobile number.<\/p>\n

As we have\u00a0previously written<\/a>, this move undermines the anonymity of mobile phone users, which is especially important for activists, civil society members and journalists inside Iran, as well as ordinary citizens. Given the lack of legal privacy protections in Iran, this leaves user data and information vulnerable to misuse and state surveillance. The legal and policy gaps around data and privacy protections are an issue which should be addressed urgently.<\/p>\n

Iranian Video Streaming Service Aparat and Fars News Lose .com Domains Due to Sanctions<\/strong><\/p>\n

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FarsNews tweets about their (.com) domain being taken down<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

FarsNews tweets about their (.com) domain being taken down<\/p>\n

In a tweet on 14 January, Mohammad Javad Shakouri \u2014 the founder and CEO of\u00a0popular video hosting service<\/a>\u00a0Aparat \u2014 announced that Apart was unavailable \u201cdue to international sanctions\u201d. He stated that \u201cwithout prior notice, Aparat\u2019s domain service made [Aparat] unavailable. We are moving to a new domain registry company, and hope this does not take more than one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an interview on\u00a014 January<\/a>, Shakouri explained that the company decided to switch to a European (.com) domain service, as service providers based inside Iran can only accommodate (.ir) domain names.<\/p>\n

On\u00a024 January<\/a>, following Aparat\u2019s service disruptions, Sadjad Bonabi, a member of Iran\u2019s Telecommunications Infrastructure Company\u2019s (TIC) Board of Directors, tweeted that the news agency Fars News\u00a0<\/em>had gone offline due to \u201cfinancial sanctions\u201d. He added that \u201cnon-American domain services and (.ir) domains are available\u201d and that his colleagues are in the process of guiding companies affected by such US sanctions. He also added that the \u201cexisting NIN infrastructure removes worries brought on by these cruel sanctions\u201d.<\/p>\n

Both Aparat and Fars News are now available on (.ir) domains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Instagram Removes Posts Related to Qasem Soleimani\u2019s Assassination<\/strong><\/p>\n

On\u00a010 January<\/a>\u00a0a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement to CNN Business that Facebook and Instagram have been removing posts expressing support from Qassem Soleimani, in compliance with US sanctions.<\/p>\n

This is not the first time that Instagram has removed content affiliated with high-ranking Iranian officials.\u00a0In April 2019<\/a>, Instagram removed pages of IRGC officials after their designation as a \u201cterrorist organisation\u201d by the US.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Internet Disruptions Observed During the January Protests<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following the Iranian government\u2019s admission to the downing of the Ukraine International Airline Flight 752 \u2014 killing all passengers on board \u2014 Iranians took to the streets in protest and to hold vigils following this tragic event, despite the heavy presence of security forces.<\/p>\n

During this time, we observed a number of internet disruptions which intensified during the protests. While the network disruptions this January were not as extensive as the internet shutdown during the November 2019 fuel price protests, we still see that authorities rely heavily on restricting access to the internet during times of unrest and political upheaval.<\/p>\n

The January edition of our\u00a0Network Monitor<\/a>\u00a0provides a technical analysis of how these disruptions impacted connectivity in Iran this January. The\u00a0Filterwatch Network Monitor<\/a>\u00a0will continue to report on the state of the Internet in Iran on a monthly basis for those who wish to find out more about the technical details of internet disruptions and shutdowns in Iran.<\/p>\n

ICT Ministry Website Targeted By Cyberattack<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was reported by domestic media that on\u00a012 January\u00a0<\/a>the ICT Ministry\u2019s main\u00a0website<\/a>\u00a0and its regional websites were targeted by a cyberattack. The website reportedly returned to normal service the next day. Details of the incident have not been released by the ICT Ministry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Internet disruptions returned during Iran\u2019s January protests, and new legislation regulating messaging apps returned to Parliament.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2292,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[48],"class_list":["post-1823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-network-monitor","tag-filterwatch-policy-monitor","entry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t