Iran bans fast internet to cut west’s influence

The Guardian reports that “Iran’s Islamic government has opened a new front in its drive to stifle domestic political dissent and combat the influence of western culture – by banning high-speed internet links.” ISPs have been told to restrict online speeds to 128 kilobytes a second for the country’s estimated 5 million internet users as well as being forbidden from offering fast broadband packages. The ban follows another recent order that led to a purge on illegal satellite dishes, which millions of Iranians use to clandestinely watch western television.