Controversy Erupts As Iranian Hardliners Utilize 'X'

The presence of Iranian hardliners on platform X has sparked criticism within Iran while ordinary citizens are banned from that and many other social platforms.

One such user is the propagandist Ali Akbar Raefipour, whose recent purchase of the blue verification tick has stirred massive controversy on social media.

Hashem Firouzi, a social media activist, voiced his concerns, stating, "They pay $8 a month for the Blue Tick to the United States, and then they tell us that the United States is on the verge of decline."

Several other Iranian officials, including Labor Minister Solat Mortazavi, also subscribed to X in June. Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), has rebranded the platform and introduced a premium option as the exclusive means of obtaining the coveted Blue Tick verification.

Parliamentarian Bijan Nobaveh Vatan recently criticized the presence of Iranian officials on the former Twitter platform (X), highlighting the hypocrisy, stating "The first step in fostering trust in domestic platforms and discouraging the use of foreign platforms is the adherence of officials to the relevant laws."

In a related development, a new Iranian social network called Virasty has emerged, closely copied from Twitter in both its features and logo design.

Iran has long maintained strict internet censorship, blocking major social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. In the wake of recent protests, Instagram was also blocked.

Social media users in Iran have largely refrained from using domestically developed social media applications like Rubika, Eitaa, Soroush, and Nazdika, citing concerns about their quality and privacy shortcoming as digital surveillance continues to gain pace.