“Merchants of sanctions,” “Merchants of internet censorship,” “IRGC mafia,” and “Smuggler brothers” are the components of the financial oligarchy of the clerical regime ruling Iran.
On September 8, under the title “The Pressure of Internet Censorship Merchants on Freedom of Speech”, the state-run Setareh Sobh newspaper wrote: “There are companies with large contracts for internet censorship, and the involvement of some influential people is also evident in these companies. There are also companies selling VPNs. In fact, there is an economic cycle of tens of trillions of rials in blocking online services and selling VPNs. Just as there are ‘merchants of sanctions,’ unfortunately, ‘merchants of internet censorship’ are also in action.”
The initial reason for censoring apps and websites, like many social restrictions, was security concerns amid the explosive state of society. However, as millions of frustrated users turned to VPNs, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) began producing and selling various VPNs, making astronomical profits. On one hand, by expanding censorship and restrictions on social networks, they tightened the chains of censorship on the youth and blocked the livelihoods of many people and businesses. On the other hand, with the rising demand for VPNs, they kept increasing the prices, pocketing billions in profits.
On September 8, the state-run Tabnak newspaper wrote, “Censorship initially began with a political and security approach, but over time, it gained an economic aspect. Selling VPNs has become a source of income for some individuals, which is the main obstacle to lifting the filters.”
On April 6, Ham-Mihan newspaper, indirectly referring to the IRGC, which has taken control of the economy and profits enormously from sanctions and internet restrictions, wrote: “Unfortunately, a large portion of the country’s economy is in the hands of factions and oligarchies that have no connection to the people. For example, with Biden’s leniency, the country’s oil exports increased sixfold, and the return of foreign currency multiplies, but we don’t see any signs of this in people’s lives. The main profits go to an oligarchy referred to as ‘merchants of sanctions.’ It’s unfortunate that the rise in the dollar and currency exchange rates benefits this oligarchy and harms the people. Unfortunately, the future of the people is being sacrificed for the present of this group.”
Numerous confidential documents prove that the IRGC, through establishing front companies, is bypassing sanctions in the oil and petrochemical sectors to fund the expansion of fundamentalism, extremism, warmongering, and terrorism. In part of a confidential letter dated December 31, 2023 Mohammad Mokhber, the Vice President of the now-deceased Ebrahim Raisi and head of the sanctions evasion committee, wrote: “Government-affiliated organizations and state-run companies are permitted to engage in cover activities such as creating front accounts, front companies, and front financial and credit institutions, banks, and currency exchanges abroad…”
Previously, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, former chairman of the tenth Majlis (Parliament) Security Committee, also referred to the IRGC’s astronomical profits from the internet censorship and sanctions projects and wrote: “When it became clear that restrictions and sanctions yield substantial profits, the filtering project and imposing restrictions on the internet also kicked off. Certain individuals in Iran emerged as censorship merchants. When some apps and websites were censored, some officially pocketed billions of dollars from censorship… Censorship merchants are thieves hiding behind the cover of law and legislation. In other words, they make their bread from the blood that flows from the body of the Iranian nation. “