Eisa Zarepour, Iran’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology under President Ebrahim Raisi, played a significant role in the development and expansion of the National Information Network—a domestic infrastructure aimed at full control of cyberspace and restricting the public’s free access to the global internet. This network was used as a key tool to suppress internet access and disconnect users, especially during public protests, allowing the government to severely limit the free flow of information and digital communication.
Zarepour repeatedly claimed that the National Information Network did not mean cutting off the internet, but in practice, this infrastructure enabled widespread filtering, digital surveillance, and internet blackouts during critical times. For his direct role in suppressing public protests, he was sanctioned by the European Union in October 2022 and by the U.S. Treasury Department in October 2022.

Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, the former Minister of Information and Communications Technology of Iran, was a key figure in the government's crackdown on internet freedom and digital rights. During his tenure, the Iranian government implemented extensive policies of filtering, censorship, and information control in cyberspace.
At that time, access to many popular social media platforms and messaging apps like Telegram, Instagram, and Twitter was either heavily restricted or completely blocked in order to limit the free flow of information and communication among people.
During the nationwide protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, the Ministry of Communications under Azari Jahromi's leadership was responsible for widespread internet shutdowns across the country. These actions, which involved either complete blackouts or severe restrictions on access, drew strong international condemnation and were widely recognized as violations of human rights and freedom of expression.

Sattar Hashemi, Iran’s Minister of Communications during Masoud Pezeshkian’s presidency, was responsible for widespread internet shutdowns following the war with Israel. These shutdowns caused serious harm to people’s daily lives and business activities, leading to severe restrictions on internet access, disruptions in communication, and digital commerce.
Hashemi is recognized as the main official behind these blackouts, which resulted in a significant reduction in information freedom and disruption to the country’s digital economy.

Arvan Cloud, a cloud service provider based in Iran, has been accused of playing a key role in building the infrastructure used by the government for internet censorship and control. By offering its infrastructure and services, Arvan Cloud has provided critical support for the implementation of the National Information Network — a system aimed at isolating Iran’s internet from the global web.
This domestic infrastructure has enabled authorities to maintain a controlled and monitored network even during full internet shutdowns. Reports and leaked documents have revealed direct cooperation between Arvan Cloud and the Iranian government, including security agencies, in developing tools used for filtering, surveillance, and disconnecting Iranian users from the global internet.
During the 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, this infrastructure played a crucial role in the regime’s ability to impose widespread internet blackouts and suppress digital communication across the country. These actions were internationally condemned as violations of digital rights and freedom of expression.

Arvan Cloud

Mahmoud Vaezi, the Minister of Communications in Hassan Rouhani’s first administration, was a key figure in laying the foundation for internet repression in Iran.
During his tenure, the National Information Network project was actively pursued, and the technical infrastructure for extensive filtering and control over the internet was significantly expanded.
By supporting restrictive policies that limited access to free information, Vaezi played a major role in institutionalizing digital censorship. His actions paved the way for broader crackdowns in the years that followed.

Gholam hossein Mohseni Ejei, the current head of Iran's judiciary and a prominent figure in the country’s security-judicial establishment, has played a major role in supporting internet repression and controlling cyberspace.
He has been a staunch advocate of restrictive internet policies, consistently portraying cyberspace as a threat to "national security, public morality, and social order."
Throughout his career, Ejei has supported judicial actions against online platforms and users, and has called for the blocking or filtering of popular social media platforms like Telegram, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
He has also played a key role in providing legal legitimacy to decisions made by the Supreme Council of Cyberspace and security agencies regarding internet censorship and shutdowns.
His repeated public statements about the need to “purify cyberspace” and crack down on those who “disrupt public psychological security” reflect his hardline stance on digital freedoms.

Mohammad javad Larijani, head of the Institute for Basic Sciences, is a prominent supporter of restrictive internet policies in Iran. In a note, he called for a "cleansing of cyberspace" and a complete suspension of access to the global internet for several months. Emphasizing that the internet is a platform for "abuse and anti-security actions," Larijani explicitly opposed an "open internet" and demanded strict control and limitation of foreign internet connections.
He introduced the National Information Network as the sole main connection channel and proposed that external internet access be "fully controlled, restricted, and supervised." Larijani considers national security the top priority and views any free access to information and social interactions in cyberspace as secondary. In his view, eradicating enemy infiltration in cyberspace with strong and decisive measures is a vital necessity.

Hassan Rouhani, the former President of Iran, left office in 2021, but the policies of his administration played a key role in laying the groundwork for digital repression and internet restrictions.
During his presidency, technical and legal infrastructure for greater control over cyberspace was expanded—most notably through the development of the National Information Network, a key tool for internet shutdowns and filtering during crises.
Although the Mahsa

Pouya Pirhosseinlou, one of the co-founders of ArvanCloud, is known for his involvement in developing the technical infrastructure used in internet suppression in Iran. ArvanCloud, providing cloud services, CDN, DNS, and content hosting, became a key player in Iran's internet ecosystem but has faced significant criticism for cooperating with government and security agencies to enforce filtering, control traffic, and restrict user access to information.
Previously active in media and digital fields, Pirhosseinlou helped lead and manage ArvanCloud in developing tools that later served as the technical backbone for projects like the National Information Network, which isolates the domestic internet from the global web. These platforms enabled monitoring, tracking, and censorship capabilities for state bodies.
Although Pirhosseinlou later claimed to be unaware of some decisions and policies or resisted them, his managerial role in shaping and expanding infrastructure directly used in digital repression cannot be denied.
As a result, Pouya Pirhosseinlou is considered one of the figures involved in developing censorship and surveillance tools that contributed to internet suppression in Iran.

Rasoul Jalili, a member of the Supreme Cyberspace Council, is recognized as one of the "internet suppressors" in Iran. He has played an active role in promoting restrictive policies and controlling the digital space.
Emphasizing national security and the need to combat "enemy infiltration" in cyberspace, Jalili has supported projects like the National Information Network, which aim to limit free access to the global internet and create a controlled internal platform. These measures have intensified internet suppression and restricted digital freedoms.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, former mayor of Tehran and a prominent political figure in Iran, has played a significant role in security and control policies related to cyberspace.
Although Ghalibaf is not directly responsible for the Ministry of Communications, in various managerial and political positions, including Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, he has supported internet restrictions and strengthening of security infrastructures.
As part of the power structure, he has emphasized policies that increase censorship and limit access to information. These supports have indirectly contributed to internet suppression and prevented the expansion of digital freedoms.

Internet Butcher