This is a very major step on the part of IR Government in the so called "soft war". I suspect this is a lesson from the last major Gmail and Yahoo blockage in Iran.
They figured, if Bazarris [2] are not able to do their online banking we have a big problem. In fact I believe the so called "Bazaaris" or the merchants (rich wholesalers) are the very same people that are responsible for people like Ahmadinejad and Khameneie being in power. These are the people that HAVE something to loose if there was ever a regime change in Iran. Maybe one can compare them to the "1%" in United States :$), if there is such a thing. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jzh5OHjE_YOFj7PeAz8thcxLDXHg > TEHRAN — Iran's telecommunications ministry has barred local banks, insurance > firms and telephone operators from using foreign-sourced emails to > communicate with clients, a specialist weekly said on Saturday. > > "The telecommunications minister has ordered the use of domain names ending > with .ir" belonging to Iran, Asr Ertebatat reported. > > The order prohibits banks, insurance firms and telephone firms using foreign > hosts for their sites or to inform their clients using foreign providers such > as Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail or MSN, it said. > > The weekly said that individuals seeking to communicate with such firms must > now use email addresses ending with iran.ir, post.ir or chmail.ir. > > Entities linked to the Iranian government must use addresses ending in gov.ir > or .ir, while universities should use emails ending in ac.ir or .ir, the > report added. > > Iran has announced that as of May a national information network will be used > to replace the Internet in the daily management of the administration of > state entities, the banking system and public enterprises. > > Officially, the launch of the "Iranian Internet" aims to secure > communications by making them independent from foreign Internet operators. > > Iranian authorities announced in December having repatriated 90% of official > websites and encouraged Iranian companies to do the same. > > For the past two years, Tehran has been slapped with Western economic and > financial sanctions due to its controversial nuclear programme. > > The regime also regularly accuses the West of using the web for an > "undeclared war" to destabilise it, and Telecommunications Minister Reza > Taghipour has argued that Google and Yahoo posed a "threat to national > security." > > With over 36 million Internet users out of the population of 75 million, > electronic media played a major role in the popular protests which rocked the > country after the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in > 2009. > > The authorities have since cut off or reduced Internet connections and speed. > > The telecommunications ministry in April, however, denied that the authority > has decided to cut outside Internet connections to support the development of > Iran's own intranet. > > Earlier this year, access to foreign-sourced emails was cut without > explanation, disrupting the operations of many companies and millions of > Iranians while prompting sharp criticism within the regime. > > Since the unrest of 2009, authorities have sharply reduced the available > bandwidth of the Internet and blocked access to tens of thousands of foreign > websites, including opposition sites. > > US President Barack Obama on March accused Iran of imposing an "electronic > curtain" of censorship, announcing steps to use software and social media to > help Iranians communicate online. [1] http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/iran_blocks_https_gmail_google_yahoo.php -- First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi _______________________________________________ liberationtech mailing list [email protected] Should you need to change your subscription options, please go to: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/liberationtech If you would like to receive a daily digest, click "yes" (once you click above) next to "would you like to receive list mail batched in a daily digest?" You will need the user name and password you receive from the list moderator in monthly reminders. You may ask for a reminder here: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/liberationtech Should you need immediate assistance, please contact the list moderator. Please don't forget to follow us on http://twitter.com/#!/Liberationtech
