Rouhani: Both Domestic and Foreign Messaging Platforms Should Be Present in the Country

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, addressed social networks and the internet during his press conference on Tuesday, February 6, stating that "cyberspace has become a major player in domestic and foreign politics." He added that "monopoly has no meaning in this area, and if a messaging platform comes and exclusively takes over the entire space, it is not in our country's interest; various domestic and foreign networks and messaging platforms should be present for people to use." The Iranian President emphasized efforts to bring domestic messaging platforms into the cyberspace but regarding the connection of Iranians with foreign internet facilities, he said: "The era of closing and filtering and throwing (I mean the dish, not people) off the roof is over, and we must educate in cyberspace so that young people can use this space effectively." He also stressed the increasing role of cyberspace in job creation, stating that 200,000 jobs have been created in cyberspace in Iran over the past two years. These remarks come as Ahmad Jannati, the head of the Assembly of Experts, recently reported on a "several-hour" meeting of the Supreme Leader with some "experts" in cyberspace, adding that following this meeting, there will be a movement to further restrict cyberspace. Jannati also stated that "cyberspace is a calamity that has befallen us, and if they had controlled cyberspace, we wouldn't have reached this point. I have said that we cannot completely stop cyberspace, but we can slow it down." Freedom of expression advocates have consistently criticized the Iranian government for preventing citizens from freely accessing the internet, and the U.S. government has recently sanctioned Iran's Supreme Council of Cyberspace and the National Cyberspace Center. According to "Freedom House," freedom of expression restrictions have not decreased during Rouhani's presidency, and throughout the year, the arrest and suppression of reformist channel managers on the messaging app "Telegram" have continued. The report also states that during the peak of protests that engulfed most cities in the country, where people demanded political changes, the response from government officials was to restrict access to "Telegram" and "Instagram," which are popular platforms in Iran. "Freedom House" also noted in its recent report that during Rouhani's term, newspapers and publications face censorship, and officials usually prevent the dissemination of information through filtering topics and websites, while agents continue to raid homes and confiscate satellite dishes. Traditional clerics and the conservative faction in Iran have always viewed the internet and social networks with suspicion, referring to them as places that threaten family foundations and are also used by the "enemy." In another part of his remarks on Tuesday, Rouhani said, "If the Americans had fulfilled all their commitments in the JCPOA, I believe conditions would have arisen where we could have talked about other issues as well, but unfortunately, they destroyed this golden opportunity." He criticized the Trump administration for having "destroyed this space" and emphasized that currently, the "key" to resolving issues in relations between the two countries is in the hands of the United States. He once again called for the U.S. to lift pressure and sanctions against Iran and create a different atmosphere. The Iranian President also reiterated the continuation of the Islamic Republic's military programs and the impossibility of negotiating with global powers on this matter. This comes as the U.S. government has expressed concern primarily over these military programs of Iran, citing them as one of the main reasons for pressure and sanctions against the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently threatened Israel, a key U.S. ally in the region, with "destruction." The United States considers Iran's efforts in this regard as "terrorism," a definition that the Islamic Republic rejects.