Iranian lawmaker says president’s internet taskforce is illegal

A member of Iran’s parliamentary presiding board said President Masoud Pezeshkian’s creation of a special cyberspace taskforce violates the country’s seventh development plan and is inconsistent with the Islamic Republic’s broader policy framework.

Alireza Salimi said Iran already has the Supreme Council of Cyberspace and the National Cyberspace Center, with clearly defined responsibilities.

“How is it possible for the president, who is himself the head of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, to transfer the council’s authority to a body outside the council?” Salimi said.

The criticism follows earlier objections from lawmaker Mostafa Pourdehghan, who called the task force “decorative” and said such decisions were mostly psychological and were unlikely to bring concrete change.

Pezeshkian recently announced the formation of the task force and appointed First Vice President Mohammadreza Aref to lead it, saying it would promote “integrated governance” of cyberspace, end “multiple voices” and prevent overlapping responsibilities among state bodies.

The taskforce has been formed as Iran’s internet has remained largely cut off for more than 70 days since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran.