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Iran's newly appointed tech official is pushing back against the widespread belief that the country's National Information Network exists primarily to censor content, calling for a fundamental shift in how the system operates.
Rasoul Lotfi, who recently took over as Deputy for National Information Network Development at Iran's Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, took to LinkedIn this week to challenge what he sees as a damaging misconception about the network's true purpose.
"This mistaken perception has taken root in the public mind and needs to be corrected," Lotfi wrote, describing the NIN instead as a "network of networks" designed to build digital infrastructure and protect Iran's technological assets.
The comments come as Iran continues to face criticism over internet restrictions that have affected millions of users. But Lotfi argues the country has actually been too permissive with its data, warning that "no country in the world exposes its national data as Iran has."
Rather than defending traditional filtering approaches, Lotfi proposed what he calls an "inverted" strategy. Under his vision, users and businesses with greater digital responsibilities would face tighter controls, while ordinary citizens would have more freedom online.
"Those with higher responsibility should face stricter controls—essentially, a reversed view of current filtering narratives," he explained.
The deputy minister criticized Iran's current one-size-fits-all approach to cybersecurity, arguing that treating all users and businesses the same way "harms digital communities and stifles hope among specialists and digital economy businesses."
His LinkedIn post represents a notable departure from typical government messaging on internet policy. Lotfi acknowledged that filtering exists worldwide but insisted it must "meet reasonable expectations from both citizens and technology authorities."
The official called for Iran to adopt "an internationally aligned, thoughtfully balanced technical and social solution" that would protect national digital assets while fostering innovation and maintaining user trust—a delicate balance that has proven elusive for many governments grappling with similar challenges.
