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In a rare admission, Majid Ansari, Masoud Pezeshkian<\/a>\u2019s presidential deputy for Legal Affairs, acknowledged on November 11 that powerful groups profiting from VPN sales are actively working to prevent any easing of Iran\u2019s internet censorship. “People are forced to rely on VPN sellers who make exorbitant profits, preventing any meaningful change,\u201d Ansari told ISNA<\/a>. This admission sheds light on an industry of censorship profiteers operating under the regime\u2019s watch, benefiting directly from the public\u2019s struggle to access the free internet.<\/p>\n Yet, this critique does not signal genuine support for citizens\u2019 rights to free information. Instead, officials like Ansari and Social Affairs Advisor Ali Rabiei are responding to the growing pressure of a discontented public, increasingly frustrated with the costs and hardships imposed by censorship. Rabiei recently noted<\/a> the $1 billion annual cost of internet restrictions for Iranians, citing concerns about \u201csocial consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite Masoud Pezeshkian\u2019s campaign promises to end restrictive internet policies, he has taken no meaningful action. His administration\u2019s stance mirrors the regime’s determination to maintain tight control over information flows. Ansari\u2019s remarks expose the regime\u2019s underlying motives: officials fear the political implications of unfiltered information and view open access to information as a threat to their authority. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has consistently condemned what he calls the “uncontrolled” nature of the internet, framing censorship as a matter of national security.<\/p>\n #Iran<\/a> News in Brief — NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) November 8, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
MP Javad Nikbin admits that the clerical regime not only imposes political restrictions through #internet<\/a> censorship but also benefits economically from it.
He stated in a TV interview, \u201cI believe and say it explicitly that the authors of internet censorship\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/oSGV4ensuh<\/a><\/p>\n