On December 28, Finally, after a few days of speculation and media coverage, the news of the internet price increase was announced by regime-affiliated websites in Iran. It was quite evident that this timing was carefully calculated and planned to avoid public backlash and minimize societal reactions.
On December 28, the state-run Fars News Agency reported that “the Ministry of Communications has agreed to a 34% increase in internet tariffs.” The outlet further claimed that “previously, the operators had requested a 100% increase in internet tariffs, which was opposed.”
The regime orchestrated the scene in such a way that the operators would first write a letter to Iranian regime president Ebrahim Raisi, expressing their helplessness and lamenting about the “sharp increase in exchange rates and high inflation,” and requesting his approval for a 100% increase in internet prices, which would be double the current rates. However, Raisi posed as a “supporter of the underprivileged” and opposed it, ultimately compromising and reaching an agreement to only increase internet tariffs by 34% through negotiations and concessions.
One of the areas of maneuvering for Raisi during the election period was precisely the internet and online services. He made numerous promises to provide infrastructure and make internet access free for lower-income segments of society, with the pledge that if he were to win, he would “provide facilities for the general public’s access to this cyberspace, from cities to villages, and for the literate and illiterate.”
Prices increased by up to 300%
It soon became obvious that there was more to the story than the declared 34-percent price increase. Shortly after the initial news, state-run news outlets reported that the prices of some internet packages have increased by up to 111 percent, 156 percent, and even 300 percent. For example, Ebtekar newspaper wrote on December 30 that “new packages are being offered at a price of 60,000 rials per gigabyte. The last time this operator offered a long-term internet package, it was about 20,000 rials per gigabyte.”
While mobile operators have been swift to declare and implement the price hikes, their promises on increasing the quality of internet connectivity are at best vague, some claiming that changes will be implemented by the end of the next Iranian calendar year, which means by mid-March 2025.
On December 17, Farhikhtegan Daily wrote that the state of mobile internet speed in Iran is far behind other countries in the region. In the global ranking, while countries such as the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait hold the first to third positions, Iran’s internet ranks 75 out of the 145 countries included in the survey. This situation is even more disastrous regarding cable internet, and “the average cable internet in Iran has plummeted to the 154th position among 181 countries surveyed” in November 2023.
The high cost of internet and social dissatisfaction
The Raisi government has taken another step towards making the lives of the Iranian people even more difficult by implementing a filtered internet with speeds even lower than impoverished countries such as Uganda, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, and making it several times more expensive.
It is evident that, given the explosive social conditions, any decision at this level is directly planned and executed under the supervision of Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei. As the number one enemy of social networks and the internet, he is aware of the role of the internet in informing and raising awareness among the population. He is also aware of the people’s dissatisfaction and knows that any increase in prices and inflation can ignite widespread unrest. Over the past years, he has issued orders to deliberately slow down internet speeds, control online platforms, and impose the most severe censorship on media, websites, and networks opposing his regime, to prevent citizens from accessing free information.
During the uprising in 2022, the regime made every effort to disconnect or slow down the internet or at least prevent the exchange of news about the uprising in flashpoint cities. However, protesters used different initiatives to prevent the regime from achieving its goal.
While countries around the world are moving towards increasing internet speed and reducing its cost, Iran’s regime is moving in the opposite direction due to excessive expenses, repression, and the promotion of terrorism. This criminal decision will lead to increased poverty and hardship for millions of people who earn a living through the internet. The dark days of livelihood, economy, and poverty will undoubtedly manifest themselves in what the state-run Arman-e Melli newspaper described as a “reduction of social capital” and an “increase in social discontent.” It is only a matter of time before this and other destructive moves by the regime pile up to create the next wave of protests.