The Iranian Minister of Information and Communications Technology Seyed Sattar Hashemi stressed that sustainability of domestic infrastructure and maintaining connectivity to the international Internet are complementary in meeting the country's communications and economic needs.
He made the statement in an article in the Tehran-based Shargh
Newspaper on Wednesday elaborating on the requirements of digital governance in
the context of the Israeli-US aggression of Iran.
Referring to the ICT ministry’s experience during the war, Hashemi
also emphasized balanced decision-making between security, sustainability, and
public access.
The full text of the ICT minister’s article follows:
In a situation where our beloved Iran is going through a
complex and multifaceted period in the field of ICT due to the imposed war, it
is important that the country's view of the category of Internet access is
upgraded from the level of a mere service to the level of a strategic
infrastructure.
In addition, recent experiences confirm that the country's
digital ecosystem needs more than ever precise, responsible decisions based on
macro considerations -- decisions that simultaneously provide the three pillars
of security, sustainability, and public interest.
In the meantime, the performance of the National Information
Network in responding to domestic needs has been important and remarkable. This
network has been able to support a wide range of vital services, including
basic communications, banking services, administrative processes, education,
health, relief, etc. with acceptable stability in the recent period.
As a result, the continued provision of these services in
specific circumstances indicates that investments made in the development of
local infrastructure at critical junctures can be relied upon and play an
effective role and that such services are able to reduce some of the needs and
pressures resulting from widespread disruptions.
However, emphasizing the functions of the National
Information Network does not in any way mean that the country does not need the
international Internet.
The reality is that the digital economy, scientific
interactions, new services, supply chains, communications, security updates,
and many of the daily needs of people are inherently dependent on the global
Internet platform. Therefore, interruption or limitation of this connection not
only affects access to international resources and services, but can also
expand the scope of significant and even irreparable consequences on business
activity, the flow of innovation, and even social capital day by day.
From this perspective, it is emphasized that the domestic
communication network and the international Internet should not be considered
as alternatives, rather as complementary. Accordingly, any policymaking in this
area will be effective when these two platforms are defined in interaction with
each other and can together meet the diverse and growing needs of society.
Because these two are, in practice, two wings of digital
governance: one guarantees local independence and sustainability, the other
enables the benefit of international capacities and opportunities.
It is obvious that relying solely on either of these two,
without considering the other, means ignoring part of the realities of today's
digital life and failing to achieve growth in the share of the country's
digital economy in the rapid regional and international competitions.
At the same time, understanding the concerns and pressures
that have been placed on people and economic activists during war period is a
fundamental principle for us. The ICT Ministry is by no means indifferent to
the effects and consequences of communication restrictions, rather it emphasizes
that managing these conditions requires an active, responsive, and responsible
approach.
What is important in this regard is to avoid unrealistic
perspectives and dichotomies. Because neither security imperatives and macro
considerations can be ignored, nor can the real needs of society for
widespread, equitable, and high-quality communications be ignored. The solution
lies in creating a balance between the two and moving on a path of prudence and
wisdom -- a path that requires synergy between decision-making institutions,
utilizing expert capacities, and paying special attention to public demands.
The strategy of the ICT Ministry guided by President Masoud
Pezeshkian, as emphasized and clarified since the beginning
of his government, is based on a clear principle: continuous effort to remove
restrictions on access of different segments of the population to the Internet
and equitable, sustainable, and high-quality communication services.
The actual and operational realization of this goal requires
that both domestic infrastructures are continuously strengthened and the
possibility of benefiting from international Internet capacities is provided,
within the framework of the country's macro considerations and policies. These
two paths are not defined in opposition, rather in line with each other.
It is obvious that the realization of such an approach and
the reconnection of the Internet require careful planning and the support of
all stakeholders. In this path, transparency, dialogue, and persuasion of
public opinion and various stakeholders play a decisive role and should be
considered as an integral part of the policy-making process.
We believe that public trust is an asset without which no
strategy will achieve the desired result.
What must be emphasized is that the country's communications
future will be shaped neither in digital isolation nor in absolute dependence,
but in intelligent and balanced design between domestic capacities and global
interactions. This challenging path can be traversed and achieved by relying on
effective experiences gained, existing capacities, and collective will.