A House Without Windows: The Ideological Isolation of A Regime

Technological and information control serves as the modern frontline in the regime’s war against dissent. Recognizing that the internet and social media are the only remaining platforms for free expression, the Iranian authorities have invested heavily in what they call the "National Information Network," a localized intranet designed to sever the Iranian public from the global web. During periods of unrest, such as the nationwide protests of 2019, 2022, and early 2026, the state has consistently deployed total internet blackouts to create a vacuum of information. These "digital curtains" allow security forces to carry out mass arrests and lethal crackdowns with impunity, hidden from the eyes of the international community and the Iranian diaspora, effectively ensuring that the only permitted narrative is the one broadcast by state-controlled media.