In Iran, internet access has become a marker of social class and is divided into ‘three tiers’ at exorbitant prices
Зміст
This is reported by Euronews.
To prevent protests, the Iranian authorities have created a multi-tiered structure that has effectively divided society. At the top of the pyramid is the so-called ‘white internet’ – a privilege reserved for the elite.
High-ranking officials use the internet without any filters. Over the years, this access has been extended to loyal journalists. Reza, a journalist from Tehran, told the publication that he has had this privilege since 2018. He did not even notice the complete internet shutdown during the protests of recent years.
Former editor Mansour Beitaf turned down such an offer. He considers it discrimination.
“Free access to the internet is a public right. You cannot grant this privilege to some and deny it to others. That is blatant discrimination,” he said.
The second tier offers paid internet access for selected professions. The Internet Pro system only grants access to around 10 international platforms. It has been made available to companies, lawyers and doctors. But even here, restrictions apply.
The third tier is for specialists. University lecturers can only access academic databases. Doctors have been left with mainly WhatsApp. Instagram and YouTube remain extremely unreliable even for ‘professional’ users.
"Gold" VPN in Iran
Internet Pro users pay around €0.20 per gigabyte. Ordinary Iranians spend 12 times as much on commercial VPN services.
A café owner told Euronews that he spends €75 a month on internet access. This is a huge sum for a local business. Yet the businessman receives only 1 gigabyte of data per day. Previously, he had unlimited access for work.
“In what country does using the internet cost this much? Is it right to deprive the Iranian people of the internet just because there is a war on?” he asks.
How the lack of internet access is crippling business in Iran
In the first 50 days, Iran’s digital sector lost around $1 billion. The country is losing up to $35 million a day.
Businesses are closing down en masse. Traders on Instagram and Telegram have been hit hardest. These are mainly small business owners who are not eligible for Internet Pro. E-commerce giant Digikala has already started laying off staff due to falling turnover.
What is the current situation regarding Iran?
Trump has assured that negotiations with Iran are “in the final stages”. However, the US leader has once again warned of possible military action should no agreement be reached.
For its part, Iran has warned that in the event of a new attack by the US, the war would spread beyond the Middle East. Iran has previously threatened strikes against countries in the Middle East where US military bases are located.
Iran has also presented a list of demands as part of a potential peace settlement with the US. This list covers a wide range of issues – from the lifting of sanctions to the withdrawal of US military forces from the region.
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