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Iranwire – Abolhassan Firouzabadi, former secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace, said that shutting down the internet will soon become an ineffective tool.
Speaking to the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA), Firouzabadi said: “Unfortunately, internet shutdowns will soon become obsolete.”
Iran has repeatedly used nationwide internet blackouts as a tool of repression.
During the November 2019 protests, known as “Bloody November,” authorities imposed a near-total shutdown for several days.
During that period, hundreds—and according to some reports, thousands—of protesters were killed while the country was cut off from the outside world.
Firouzabadi, who also previously headed Iran’s National Center for Cyberspace, warned that the government may soon lose the ability to completely sever communications.
He described internet shutdowns as “a tool in the hands of governments,” but said it was unlikely to remain effective for more than “one or two more years.”
He was referring to the spread of satellite internet technologies such as Starlink, which operate independently of state-controlled infrastructure and make censorship and shutdowns more difficult.
Firouzabadi added that “many governments” resort to internet shutdowns during sensitive periods.
He said authorities must find ways to manage security concerns without cutting SMS services, international communications, or domestic platforms.
He did not specify which other governments he was referring to. Human rights groups have documented widespread killings during past internet blackouts in Iran.
