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Iran Cuts Global Internet, Moves to Enforce State-Approved Web Only
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Iran has moved to formalize a closed “national internet” built around a government-approved whitelist of sites after disconnecting the country from the global network during mass protests, a step that mirrors Russia’s push to tighten control over foreign digital services, The Moscow Times reported on January 14.
The Moscow Times said Iranian state news agency IRIB published an initial whitelist that includes domestic search engines, mapping and navigation services, messaging apps, and a domestic streaming platform limited to state-approved videos.
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Iranian digital rights expert Amir Rashidi stated that the list amounted to a “skeleton version” of the web that is “significantly more restricted than even China’s,” and warned that open internet access could disappear in its previous form.
In Russia, the Kremlin has pursued a parallel approach of reducing reliance on foreign platforms and steering users toward state-aligned alternatives.
On July 17, 2025, Russian leader Vladimir Putin ordered the government to present proposals for additional restrictions on software from “unfriendly” countries, including communication services, by September 1, according to Russian media reports citing the Kremlin’s published orders.
The directive followed a late May 2025 meeting with business leaders, after which Putin said services such as Microsoft and Zoom should be “throttled” to support domestic software development.
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Russia’s State Duma lawmaker Anton Gorelkin said WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, should “prepare to leave” Russia and could be replaced by VK’s planned messenger Max, as lawmakers cited security concerns and Meta’s designation as an extremist organization in Russia.
Earlier, it was reported that Russian authorities carried out thousands of mobile internet disruptions, framed as “security measures,” alongside wider moves such as a national-messenger push and regional “whitelist” regimes that restrict access to non-approved sites and apps while leaving selected services available.
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