Iran International
President Masoud Pezeshkian’s minister of telecommunications is facing public criticism for not giving a definitive answer on the removal of state restrictions on internet and social media access.
In an interview after meeting with the Parliament’s news agency, Sattar Hashemi said he could not give an answer to the question of whether internet filtering will end.
"This is not a question to be answered with a yes or no. Some lawful management of this issue should occur. But naturally, people have needs in this regard, and it must be managed in an intelligent way."
He also claimed that lifting filtering for some groups and limiting it for others represents popular will.
Critics say the remarks signal that no policy change will be forthcoming.
“Every second of this video can bring the blood of any Iranian citizen who uses the internet on a daily basis to a boil,” the Rouydad24 news website wrote Tuesday about a thirty-second video clip of the interview which has gone viral on various social media platforms.
“Let me say it clearly, I’m not one of those people who you claim want intelligent management of the internet,” Iranian Sajjad Meshki posted on X.
“It is interesting that the answer to this question was very clear during the election campaign and the president-elect would unambiguously say yes to questions on this subject," Rouydad 24 added while protesting that the policy has softened now that the elections are over.
“The minister’s ambiguous response tarnishes the clear and honest image of the President [in voters’ minds],” Rouydad 24 contended.
“It required huge skill to become so hated by the public in less than two months from starting your career in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology!” journalist Vahid Khatami told the minister in a tweet, adding that he could not escape the issue with wordplay.
Another Iranian on X rose to the minister’s defense, arguing that he has only one out of thirteen votes in the Supreme Council of Cyber-Space which has the power to decide the fate of filtering. “I think it is too soon and not fair to attack him so harshly,” the user going by the name of Elahi Aslani wrote, contending that the minister should be given more time to tackle the matter.
Many Iranians are very disappointed that Pezeshkian has not taken any concrete steps to remove the filtering of the internet although this was one of his major promises he made to voters.
In the past two decades, the Islamic government has censored thousands of websites deemed religiously inappropriate or politically dangerous, while also blocking access to foreign social media. This has left citizens with no choice but to use circumvention tools such as VPNs.
“Almost everyone agrees that filtering has greatly damaged the relationship between the state and the nation and has weakened national solidarity and that it must immediately be resolved,” Ghader Bastani, professor of social communication sciences, wrote in reformist Shargh Daily Tuesday.
According to Bastani, those behind some home-grown social media companies who have received huge government funding to develop their platforms may be among the groups using their influence to prevent the elimination of filtering because free access to similar foreign platforms such as YouTube could deprive them of profits.
A majority of the population spends a few dollars a month on circumvention software. For low-income families, the extra cost could be considerable if several members of the family have to install the software on their phones and computers.
President Massoud Pezeshkian, elected on a "reformist" platform, recently held a meeting with his chief political adversaries, the ultraconservative Paydari Party, in what appeared to be an invitation to form an undeclared coalition with the very opponents of his "national reconciliation" agenda. This unexpected move has fueled speculation about potential realignments within Iran’s political landscape and raised questions about the future of Pezeshkian’s reform oriented political promises.
This coalition is not welcomed by Pezeshkian's "reformist" allies, who played a key role in securing his victory in one of the most tepid and contentious elections in the country's modern history. Meanwhile, ultraconservatives did everything in their power to block his path, backing his main rival, Saeed Jalili, as their preferred candidate for the presidency of the Islamic Republic.
While Jalili and other hardliners continue their fierce rivalry with Pezeshkian, the President seems to have attempted to win the hearts and minds of the party's rank and file.
The government-owned Iranian Students New Agency (ISNA) reported on Monday that Pezeshkian has held a meeting "with a group of the Paydari Front's members and representatives" during which he listened to their views on various issues and explained his national reconciliation doctrine as well as the reasons behind the country's political, economic and cultural problems, according to ISNA. This is typical Iranian official reporting which is always devoid of details and elaboration.
However, Pezeshkian emphasized to his Paydari Party guests that his vision of national reconciliation "is not a choice, but an essential requirement for addressing the country’s challenges and safeguarding it against foreign threats."
Until recently, Majles Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was regarded as Pezeshkian's strongest ally in Parliament. However, growing opposition among lawmakers to the appointment of two parliament members as governors of Kordestan and Fars Provinces may have pushed Pezeshkian closer to Ghalibaf's rival, the ultraconservative Paydari Party.
The opposition, however, seems to center primarily on the fact that the two governors were appointed before their formal resignation from the Majles was approved. In other words, Ghalibaf’s frustration may stem from the President's failure to consult him in advance about the appointments, rather than any deeper political disagreement.
According to ISNA, Pezeshkian told Paydari members at the meeting: "My only purpose is to solve the country's problems, and I am calling on the followers of all schools of thought to cooperate with us rather than fight us."
Some reformists however have criticized Pezeshkian for seeking to cooperate with the ultraconservatives. Reformist journalist Ali Talebzadeh wrote in a post on X: "Although it is the Pezeshkian'd administration, all of its middle and senior managers come from the Raisi administration. Another reformist journalist Mohammad Aghazadeh wrote: "What would Jalili have done had he won the election that Pezeshkian is not doing? Everyone acts in the same way that the system wants them to act. Nothing more. There are no differences between Iranian politicians." He added sarcastically: "That is the only meaning of national reconciliation."
Highlighting the irony of reconciliation among political rivals without addressing the public's grievances, another user commented: "They talk about national reconciliation, yet they beat protesting pensioners outside the President's Office. They threaten a university student, barring her from continuing her education for a second time, despite promises of reconciliation. Do you still believe it matters who holds the office of President?"
Reformist politicians, however, have a different idea. Cleric Mohammad Ali Abtahi wrote that "I believe Pezeshkian's national reconciliation is a continuation of [former reformist President Mohammad] Khatami's reforms. The people are tired of disputes between various parties. I hope Pezeshkian's dialogue with other political groups is mindful of social realities. Most people ignored the idea of reconciliation by not voting in the elections. We need to find a way to start a dialogue with them."