DUBAI, April 28 (Reuters) – Iran’s top security body has approved a temporary scheme for businesses to access the global internet with fewer restrictions, a government spokesman told Iranian media on Tuesday, after authorities imposed a blackout since the start of the war against the US and Israel.
Most Iranians have been unable to access the internet in the last 60 days, according to Internet observatory NetBlocks, and only a few citizens have access to expensive, advanced VPNs that bypass restrictions.
‘The Supreme National Security Council approved the ‘internet Pro’ scheme to preserve business in times of crisis,’ said government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. She did not say when the new measures, which had not previously been released by the government, were introduced.
‘As soon as the situation is announced as normal by the competent authorities, the internet situation will also change,’ he added, emphasizing that the government is receptive to people’s demands and believes in internet access as a civil right.
Authorities initially imposed an internet blackout starting on January 8th in response to nationwide anti-government protests, with connections gradually returning to normal in February, until a new blackout was initiated following the start of US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28th.
In normal times, access to the global internet remains heavily restricted through the censorship of many websites, while authorities increasingly rely on an intranet to provide connected services without relying on the global internet, particularly for schools that currently follow an online curriculum.
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(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom)
