EU mulls removal of Iranian firm linked to internet blackout from censorship list

The European Union is reportedly contemplating the removal of ArvanCloud from its roster of human rights sanctions.

The company was sanctioned in 2022 due to its involvement in Iran’s internet censorship.

According to Iran International, citing a source close to the matter, the decision to lift the sanctions appears to be driven by claims from ArvanCloud’s supporters abroad.

These supporters allege that the company played a significant role in providing millions of Iranian citizens with access to a free internet during the Woman, Life Freedom protests in 2022-2023.

During the nationwide demonstrations, which called for fundamental economic, social, and political changes, ArvanCloud was accused of assisting the Islamic Republic in censoring the internet, given its close ties to Iran’s intelligence services and top officials.

Consequently, the company, along with some of its executives, was also sanctioned by the US.

Subsequently, ArvanCloud announced the termination of its contract with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

This development precedes the EU’s annual review of its list of individuals and entities found to be violating human rights in Iran.

Iran has a history of blocking tens of thousands of websites since 2002, including prominent social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

The country is notorious for its strict internet censorship measures, which have included shutting down internet access for most Iranians during nationwide protests. These measures aim to prevent the dissemination of information online and obstruct communication among citizens.

ArvanCloud, which controls 49 percent of Iran’s cloud space market, continues to host many critical websites in the Islamic Republic, including those of the presidency, IRNA news agency, and the Ministry of Islamic Guidance.

Additionally, one of the company’s information centers is installed at Payam Airport, which belongs to the Ministry of Communications.