In an editorial on Sunday, the country’s oldest-running newspaper argued that blocking access to popular online platforms pushes users toward illegal tools such as VPNs and proxy servers, which often serve as gateways to unsafe corners of the internet.
The paper cautioned that such environments expose citizens, particularly young people, to fraudsters, traffickers, spies, cybercriminals, and other illicit actors.
“Instead of ensuring safety, filtering has opened the doors to fake news, online scams, and the ‘dark web,’ where criminal networks prey on the vulnerable,” the editorial said.
It described this as a “hell without end” fueled by censorship.
The newspaper stressed that freedom requires patience, investment, and education, but argued its long-term benefits are “fruitful and bright.”
It urged authorities to embrace professional training and allow citizens to experience an open digital space, which it said would strengthen Iran’s cyber capabilities rather than weaken them.
The editorial concluded that the internet is now an integral part of social and economic life worldwide, and that attempts to suppress it only harm innovation, business, and cultural progress.
