The U.S. allows tech firms to boost internet access in Iran to support “freedom”

Shafaq News/ The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued Iran General License (G.L.) D-2 to increase support for internet freedom in Iran by bringing U.S. sanctions guidance in line with the changes in modern technology since the issuance of Iran GL D-1.

“As courageous Iranians take to the streets to protest the death of Mahsa Amini, the United States is redoubling its support for the free flow of information to the Iranian people,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo.

“Today, Treasury is announcing the expansion of Iran General License D-2, which will expand the range of internet services available to Iranians. With these changes, we are helping the Iranian people be better equipped to counter the government’s efforts to surveil and censor them. In the coming weeks, OFAC will continue issuing guidance to support the Administration’s commitment to promoting the free flow of information, which the Iranian regime has consistently denied to its people.”

The expanded G.L. tackles included: adds covered categories of software/services to include social media platforms, collaboration platforms, video conferencing, as well as cloud-based services, and additional authorization for the services that support the communication tools to “assist ordinary Iranians in resisting repressive internet censorship and surveillance tools deployed by the Iranian regime.”

Iran has been cracking down on demonstrators protesting the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of its morality police. Iranian state T.V. suggests that as many as 26 protesters and police have been killed since violence erupted over the weekend.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the move would help counter the government’s surveillance efforts.

“It is clear that the Iranian government is afraid of its own people,” Blinken said in an emailed statement. “Mahsa Amini is senselessly, tragically dead, and now the government is violently suppressing peaceful protesters rightly angry about her loss.”

The morality police detained Amini last week, saying she didn’t “correctly cover her hair” with the Islamic headscarf, known as the hijab. Amini collapsed at a police station and died three days later.

The United Nations has called for an investigation into Amini’s death.