Unveiling of Phase Three of the 'National Information Network' in Iran

Phase three of Iran's 'National Information Network' was unveiled with the aim of 'separating domestic and foreign internet traffic' and what is referred to as 'implementing a secure and stable network.' News agencies reported that the unveiling ceremony took place on Sunday (July 23) with the presence of Mahmoud Vaezi, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, at the 23rd 'Elecomp' exhibition. The establishment of the 'National Information Network' is a resolution of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace and a requirement of the fifth development plan, which the government of Hassan Rouhani has begun to implement its third phase. The Iranian government has long had a plan to separate the internet used by domestic users from the global web. Critics are concerned that, in addition to the low quality of this network, the Iranian government will use its control to further monitor the numerous internet users in Iran. The Islamic Republic News Agency reported that one of the goals of phase three is 'to produce content and information on a large scale within the network.' This project is planned in three phases, with the first and second phases having been operational in September and February of 2016. 'Independent management' and 'the ability to offer domestic content services' are among the goals of this project that officials of the Islamic Republic aim to achieve. Another main objective of this project is to create a network 'along with switches, routers, and data centers, so that internal access requests and information stored in internal data centers' cannot be routed through foreign countries. Nasrollah Jahanbakhsh, Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology, also announced at the unveiling ceremony of phase three that the 'utilization' of the phases of this project has changed the internet traffic flow, which was 90% directed outside, to 60% domestic. Mr. Jahanbakhsh added that 'the National Information Network can direct traffic flow to 80% domestic and only 20% foreign.' The plan for the national internet network in Iran was proposed in late 2005, with the main reason for establishing such a plan being to reduce dependence on the global internet network. This plan was introduced in 2010 under the new name 'National Information Network,' and on September 5, 2015, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, assigned the mission of 'accelerating the establishment of the National Information Network' to the newly appointed members of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace. He named 'purifying and maintaining comprehensive security in the country's cyberspace... and effectively countering foreign infiltration and encroachment' as the goals of establishing such a network. Mohammad Javad Larijani, Secretary of the Judiciary's Human Rights Headquarters, has repeatedly called for the acceleration of the establishment of the National Information Network.