In a recently leaked classified letter exchanged among the Iranian regime’s leaders and commanders during last year’s protests, Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, expressed concerns about the detrimental impact of the internet, social networks, and virtual space on the regime. He urgently called on the regime’s President Ebrahim Raisi to take decisive action and shut them down.
On June 27, a dissident group named “Ghiam ta Sarnegouni” (meaning “Uprising Until Regime Overthrow”) made the contents of Hossein Salami’s letter regarding the internet shutdown public. In the letter, Salami highlighted the need to permanently block access to this harmful virtual space due to prevailing security conditions.
Salami emphasized the necessity of preventing foreign social networks from operating with significant influence for several years, citing the unregulated nature of the virtual space as the rationale. Remarkably, Salami’s request to regime’s president Raisi aligns perfectly with the statements made by the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the day the letter was published.
During a meeting with senior judiciary officials, Khamenei stressed the importance of planned measures to address both the virtual and non-virtual spheres. This further supports Salami’s proposition.
However, opposition has arisen concerning the shutdown of social networks. Salami, the author of the letter amidst nationwide protests and the subsequent blocking of messaging apps and foreign social networks, pointed out that most detained individuals during the protests are impressionable young people whose mental constructs differ greatly from reality due to exposure to foreign virtual networks.
Salami expressed deep concerns about potential adversaries who exploit artificial intelligence tools and data processing techniques to gather information about people’s virtual space usage. He fears that these enemies could manipulate preferences and conduct targeted operations to steer individuals towards foreign values and ideals.
Salami criticized certain regime officials who perceive blocking foreign social networks as a temporary and tactical measure and called for their release. He emphasized the need to strengthen domestic networks over the course of several years before considering “competing with foreign capabilities in a managed manner and with appropriate policies,” as stated in his letter.
Furthermore, Salami indirectly held those within the regime opposing the shutdown of virtual spaces and internet restrictions indirectly responsible for the loss of Basij forces’ lives and the heavy costs incurred in the “defense of the revolution.” The Basij is a paramilitary force affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards and plays a significant role in suppressing protests.
While Salami claims that the armed forces bear the burden of suppressing protesters without firearms and face bullets and attacks from enemies of the revolution, contradicting evidence exists as hundreds of protesters and others have been killed by bullets fired by regime forces during violent crackdowns.
The Commander of the Revolutionary Guards considers the prolonged restriction of people’s access to the internet and social networks in the coming years as a “critical measure” comparable to the downfall of the previous regime.
Under Raisi’s government, as per a decision by the Supreme National Security Council, internet access has been severely limited, and in certain provinces such as Kurdistan and Sistan and Baluchestan, internet access has even been completely cut off. Additionally, popular platforms like Instagram and the messaging app WhatsApp have been filtered.
However, it is worth noting that many regime officials, including the office of Khamenei, continue to use virtual space and foreign networks to disseminate government messages and propaganda.
During a meeting with the head of the judiciary and judicial officials, Khamenei called for judiciary action against those who manipulate public sentiment in virtual and non-virtual spaces, deeming it contrary to the preservation of public rights. Khamenei emphasized the need for planned interventions within the bounds of rules, discipline, and careful planning.
The regime has consistently failed in its attempts to restrict people’s internet access in recent years, highlighting the challenges in implementing effective measures.
