Iran’s Islamic government has opened a new front in its drive to stifle domestic political dissent and combat the influence of Western culture — by banning high-speed internet links.
In a blow to the country’s estimated five million internet users, service providers have been told to restrict online speeds to 128 kilobytes a second and have been forbidden to offer fast broadband packages. The move by Iran’s telecommunications regulator will make it more difficult to download foreign music and films, which the authorities blame for undermining Islamic culture among the youth. It will also impede efforts by political opposition groups to organise by uploading information on to the net.
The order follows a purge on illegal satellite dishes, which millions of Iranians use to watch Western television clandestinely. Police have seized thousands of dishes in recent months.
The latest step has drawn condemnation from MPs, internet service companies and academics, who say it will hamper Iran’s progress. ”The country needs it for development and access to contemporary science,” said Ramazan-ali Sedeghzadeh, chairperson of the parliamentary telecommunications committee. — Â