Head of Iran’s State Media: National Internet Being Planned Based on China and Russia Models
Ali Asgari, head of Iran’s state media organization, said the Islamic Republic is shaping a national internet in response to the “American internet.” According to Asgari, Iran has adopted China and Russia as models for creating a national internet network.
Ali Asgari’s remarks as head of state media did not receive widespread coverage in Iranian media, with most videos of his comments to journalists being circulated instead.
Asgari said: “A movement is taking shape worldwide against the American internet. This has happened in China, Russia is shaping its Russian internet, and even Europeans cannot tolerate the American internet.”
Asgari’s example of European countries is unclear, as all European countries are connected to the global internet.
However, by citing China and Russia, he emphasized that Iran also wants to have its own internet like major powers. The head of state media stressed that weak and technologically incapable countries are forced to submit to the American internet.
However, the national internet debate is not new and began during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency, becoming a topical issue following the severe crackdown on November 2019 protests.
Internet control under the guise of national interests is mostly carried out by authoritarian regimes.
The national internet issue even has opponents among Iran’s rulers.
Mohammadjavad Azari Jahromi recently told journalists: “The national internet is a lie, and anyone who employs it betrays the country. The internet cannot be shut down, and the country’s development document is based on internet development. The situation in 2019 was also a crisis when this occurred for a short period.”
The national internet project based on China and Russia models, proposed by Ali Asgari, shows that this matter is under serious review, and news of its planning was announced as the regime consolidated power, even before Ibrahim Raisi’s inauguration as Iran’s new president.
Source: DW
