WANA (Nov 10) – Reza Taghipour, a member of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace, emphasized that foreign platforms must accept the country’s laws to operate without restrictions in Iran and avoid disrupting public psychological security.

 

Referring to statements by Iran’s Supreme Leader on the importance of maintaining societal psychological security in cyberspace, he said, “The ‘social media war’ has become a global phenomenon, and Iran also faces its threats.”

 

Taghipour noted that the widespread accessibility and rapid information sharing of social media make it a powerful tool in psychological warfare. According to him, the spread of fake news and rumors in cyberspace threatens the mental well-being of society.

 

He added that strict laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and similar measures in the U.S., impose heavy fines and even the blocking of non-compliant platforms.

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WANA (June 15) – In the first days of June 2023, Iran’s Interior Minister, Ahmad Vahidi, emphasized again, “Whenever foreign platform holders make commitments to the government and Ministry of Information and Communications Technology of Iran, a decision will be made about lifting filters on them.” He pointed out that, as per reports, they have […]

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Taghipour also addressed the false polarization surrounding filtering in Iran, explaining that certain platform restrictions are due to clear security and legal reasons, as these platforms have been used for crimes like financial fraud, drug trafficking, illegal arms sales, moral corruption, kidnappings, and terrorism, with some non-compliant foreign platforms implicated.

 

He argued that reducing the complex issue of cyberspace governance to merely filtering is a mistake. He noted that all countries have rules and frameworks governing their digital spaces, and Iran, too, has the right to lawful governance, though this right has been hindered by sanctions. He emphasized that preserving the psychological security of Iranian society in cyberspace requires Iran to pursue this governance pathway.

 

Taghipour continued by referencing Iran’s President’s repeated statements supporting expert approaches. He suggested that if the government has a technical solution to remove or block unethical content on these platforms, it should present it and remove filtering. In the European Union, platforms that violate local values face heavy fines and even blockage.

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WANA (Nov 06) – Today, Iran’s Minister of Communications, Sattar Hashemi, addressed questions about the possibility of opening official offices for platforms like Instagram and Telegram, which are currently filtered in Iran. Speaking on the sidelines of a Cabinet meeting, he stated, “These platforms need to adhere to certain rules governing the country; an unregulated […]

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He called on the government to pursue solutions to curb unethical content on foreign platforms, lifting restrictions on the condition that platforms comply with Iranian laws to ensure social security.

 

He reiterated that, if the Supreme Council of Cyberspace’s directives—especially the regulation to organize messaging platforms from June 2017—were fully implemented, there would be no need for filtering. He urged authorities to answer why this critical measure has not yet been fully enacted.

 

In conclusion, Taghipour urged the government to block unethical content where possible and to lift filtering if platforms agree to comply with Iran’s laws for maintaining social security.