TEHRAN – In what appears to be a liberal move, Iran has confirmed to provide unrestricted SIM cards to foreign tourists, contrary to the policy for the locals.
The Muslim country restricts internet for its own citizens but Ali Asghar Shalbafian, the Deputy for Tourism at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, said uncensored internet would be made available to the foreigners.
The official detailed that tourism was a priority in the plan, and in the first phase, a list of “approved” travel agencies will be provided with uncensored internet.
Globally known messaging apps and social media platforms, along with thousands of websites are blocked in Iran and citizens rely on Virtual Private Networks to avoid the restrictions but foreigners seem to get unrestricted access with the latest initiative.
Shalbafian continued that under the plan, unfiltered SIM cards will be provided to hotel staff and tour guides as well, Iraninternational reported.
The news of providing unrestricted SIM cards to foreigners first appeared in late February but staunch criticism prompted the government to delete the tweet a few hours after its publication.
Following that episode, Issa Zarepour, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said people from other countries were having trouble because they couldn’t use apps like Instagram and WhatsApp.
Ezzatollah Zarghami, the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, also stressed that providing free access to the internet for foreigners is a “necessity.”
With the approval and implementation of the plan, the authorities seem to be moving towards the digital divide in which some individuals would have unrestricted access to the internet while others would face a ban.
The digital segregation is already in place in Iran as employees of government ministries, members of parliament, university professors, and members of some associations and guilds, including specific groups, enjoy uncensored internet access but not the citizens.
