In the wake of the recent 12-day war, Iranian authorities have quietly accelerated efforts to implement a controversial system of tiered internet access, known domestically as “Internet-e-Tabaqati” (Class-Based Internet). On July 15, during a meeting of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace attended by all three heads of government branches, the council unanimously approved the executive bylaw for a new body titled the Committee for Facilitating Digital Business Activities.
The bylaw had been anticipated since February 2025, when the formation of this committee was originally approved. According to official statements at the time, the committee was meant to handle formal objections raised by digital economy associations within 48 hours. However, recent developments suggest the committee is being used as a mechanism to grant selective access to unrestricted internet for a limited group of digital businesses — a move seen by critics as a first step toward institutionalizing tiered internet access.
Amir Siah, acting head of the Economic and Regulatory Division at the National Cyberspace Center, confirmed this development during a government-sponsored conference titled “Internet and the Future of Iran.” He stated that the committee had already granted access to open internet for certain businesses, citing examples of companies submitting their IP addresses and being granted broader access.
Siah described this as a “pilot program” whose first tangible result was the reopening of internet access for selected digital companies. He announced that the committee would be formally operational following that same day’s Supreme Council meeting — a session that culminated in the approval of the executive bylaw. As of this report, the full text of the bylaw remains unpublished.
Meanwhile, Fatemeh Mohajerani, the government spokesperson, also acknowledged that a form of tiered internet is being extended to journalists, branding it as “freer internet.” She defended the program by stating that “naturally, if a journalist needs more open access, it should be provided.” Mohajerani also referenced the temporary shift to a “national internet mode” during wartime, claiming it was necessary to safeguard public security — a move critics say has persisted well beyond the ceasefire.
Despite government claims of supporting open access, experts and civil society groups argue that the internet in Iran has not returned to pre-war conditions weeks after the ceasefire, and that these steps mark a de facto expansion of class-based access to the internet. Historically, Iranian authorities have periodically denied or restricted internet access during times of unrest or conflict, but this latest initiative suggests a shift from temporary disruption to permanent segmentation. Activists warn that the so-called “Free Internet for Businesses” and “Emergency Internet” models will further widen the digital divide between approved sectors and the general public, under the guise of supporting the digital economy.
While the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology has officially denied support for tiered internet, contradictions persist. Minister Issa Zarepour reiterated in a public statement — reposting the president’s earlier message — that the administration opposes any form of class-based internet, and supports equal access for all Iranians. Yet, critics argue that the new committee’s actions contradict these public declarations, especially as access is now being extended based on occupational and institutional status.
Analysts view this week’s Supreme Council session and the passage of the executive bylaw as a formal green light for a long-suspected national policy of internet stratification. Many believe that the fourteenth administration is advancing a broader agenda, quietly rolling out class-based internet privileges while publicly maintaining a rhetoric of inclusivity.