Online safety & content laws in Iran (2026)
Online safety rules in Iran: heavy restriction.
Iran operates one of the world's most restrictive internet environments, rated 'Not Free' by Freedom House with a score of 12/100 in 2024. The state enforces pervasive platform blocking, mandatory ISP filtering, population-wide surveillance, and periodic total internet shutdowns, most recently a full blackout in January 2026 during protests. In 2024-2025, authorities formally institutionalised a two-tiered internet granting privileged unfiltered access to officials and select professionals while tightening restrictions on ordinary citizens.
Legal framework
Computer Crimes Law (Law No. 71063, 2009); Supreme Council of Cyberspace; National Filtering Committee; FATA (Cyber Police, est. 2011); 'Combating the Spread of Untrue News Content' Law (2025); Supreme Council of Cyberspace 32-Article Tiered Internet Decree (December 2024)
Key points: internet & online safety in Iran
Computer Crimes Law (2009)
Iran's foundational cyber law (Law No. 71063, in force June 2009) criminalises unauthorised access, data offences, and publication of 'immoral' or politically sensitive content online. ISPs are legally obligated to filter content on lists provided by the National Filtering Committee; wilful non-compliance can result in ISP liquidation.
Supreme Council of Cyberspace & Filtering Committee
The Supreme Council of Cyberspace (established by Supreme Leader Khamenei in 2012) sets overarching internet policy. The National Filtering Committee, operating under the Judiciary, issues blocking orders enforced on all licensed ISPs. Virtually all major Western social media, Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, remain blocked.
Two-Tiered 'Class-Based' Internet Decree (2024-2025)
A 32-article resolution decreed by the Supreme Council of Cyberspace on 25 December 2024 and expanded in July 2025 formalised a tiered system: government officials and security personnel receive unfiltered 'white SIM' access; universities and tech companies receive selective unblocking; ordinary citizens face continued heavy filtering. Foreign Policy and Filterwatch document the operational implementation as of late 2025.
'Untrue Content' Law (July 2025)
Passed by Iran's parliament in July 2025 with double-urgency procedure bypassing normal debate, this law imposes fines and up to two years' imprisonment (five years for national-security cases) for publishing content deemed 'false'. Article 11 allows platforms to block content without a court order and requires a 12-hour response to complaints; critics including the Center for Human Rights in Iran characterise it as a censorship tool targeting dissent.
FATA Cyber Police & Surveillance
FATA (est. January 2011) monitors online political dissent, targets VPN sellers, polices Islamic dress-code violations on social media, and arrests bloggers and activists. The UK Home Office April 2025 country note confirms FATA actively surveils social media activity and cooperates with intelligence services in prosecutions.
Internet Shutdowns & January 2026 Blackout
Iran routinely imposes localised or national internet shutdowns during civil unrest. On 8 January 2026 authorities imposed a near-total internet blackout, described by Amnesty International as one of the most complete ever recorded, coinciding with a crackdown on protest activity; the Supreme National Security Council was reported to have actively opposed restoration of access.
Timeline of decisions
- LawIran Tables 'Double-Urgency' Bill to Criminalise False Online Content
The Ministry of Justice submitted the 'Bill on Combating the Spread of False News Content in Cyberspace' under double-urgency procedures requiring a parliamentary vote within 30 days, bypassing normal debate. Critics warn that the bill's sweeping definitions could criminalise virtually any online dissent or opinion.
Center for Human Rights in Iran
- EnforcementIran Cuts Instagram, WhatsApp, and Mobile Internet During Mahsa Amini Protests
Following Mahsa Amini's death in morality-police custody, authorities imposed nationwide restrictions on Instagram and WhatsApp and severed mobile internet connectivity; deep-packet inspection was deployed to defeat VPNs at the network layer. The episode demonstrated Iran's real-time ability to weaponise its National Information Network architecture for domestic repression.
NetBlocks
Sources
- freedomhouse.org/country/iran/freedom-net/2024
- freedomhouse.org/country/iran/freedom-net/2025
- article19.org/data/files/medialibrary/37385/Computer-Crimes-in-Iran-.pdf
- regulations.ai/regulations/RAI-IR-NA-CCCCXXX-2009
- iranhumanrights.org/2025/07/iran-proposed-cyber-bill-gives-authorities-sweeping-new-power
- ncr-iran.org/en/news/society/irans-regime-passes-repressive-untrue-content-law-as-
- filter.watch/english/2025/11/20/network-and-policy-monitoring-october-2025-impleme
- filter.watch/english/2026/01/24/network-monitoring-january-2025-internet-repressio
- amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2026/01/internet-shutdown-in-iran-hides-violations-in-
- gov.uk/government/publications/iran-country-policy-and-information-notes/cou
- foreignpolicy.com/2026/02/24/tehran-internet-tiered-connectivity-shutdown/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Cyber_Police
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_Iran
Next for Iran: CybersecuritySectoral rules
Next topicOrientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026