Iran’s Opposition Seeks More Help in Cyberwar With Government

The ongoing battle in Iran following last year's disputed election is increasingly moving online and that means more countries are involved, whether they want to be or not. Iranian opposition activists are applauding a recent decision by the US to lift sanctions on various online services, which will allow them to combat the government's suppression of Internet activity. The Iranian government's own “cyberarmy” has effectively shut down social networking, e-mail, and other capabilities, making it more difficult for activists to organize. The lifting of the sanctions gives the opposition access to technologies intended to circumvent these sorts of blockages. Meanwhile, Tehran is trying to jam some satellite broadcasts. But since the government has no satellites of its own, it runs the risk of either angering other countries or being outpaced by their more advanced technology. As domestic political contests shift their battleground to the global public space of the Internet and other technologies, spectators far and wide may become participants. – YaleGlobal