Pezeshkian Erupts at Cyber Council Secretary Over Sneaky Back‑Room Proposal

Monday, July 21, 2025  Read time1 min

SAEDNEWS: Journalist Sadegh Hosseini reveals that President Mohammad Pezeshkian sharply rebuked the Supreme Council of Cyberspace’s secretary after he tried to approve a plan without informing the president.

Pezeshkian Erupts at Cyber Council Secretary Over Sneaky Back‑Room Proposal

According to Saed News, in its political service report, journalist Sadegh Hosseini posted on social media that during the latest session of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace, President Mohammad Pezeshkian “with reproach” confronted Secretary Masoud Aghamiri. Hosseini wrote that Aghamiri had sought to fast‑track approval of a new content‑sharing scheme—officially known as the “Council’s Content Distribution Document”—without notifying the presidential office. “Mr Aghamiri pursued ratification of a plan of which the government had no knowledge,” Hosseini noted. “Mr Pezeshkian’s stern admonition halted the council’s overreach.”

masoud pezeshkian

The incident underscores growing tensions between the executive branch and the powerful cyberspace body, which oversees Iran’s digital infrastructure and online governance. Sources close to the president say Pezeshkian viewed the move as a direct challenge to his constitutional authority to supervise all national policymaking.

Adding fuel to the fire, several major online platforms—unnamed in Hosseini’s post—sent a letter to the president denouncing the council’s draft content‑sharing framework as “corrupt,” warning it would hand undue control over digital distribution to unelected officials. Critics argue the document would centralise content moderation in opaque channels, undermining transparency and stifling competition.

This public clash marks a rare showdown, signalling that Pezeshkian is prepared to rein in influential regulatory bodies when he perceives procedural breaches. As Iran’s digital economy expands, the dispute highlights the delicate balance between innovation, regulation, and executive oversight in a rapidly evolving online landscape.