Iran says National Information Network not aiming to replace worldwide web

 Gholamreza Jalali

Tehran, Sept 26, IRNA – Iran’s National Information Network does not aim to replace the worldwide web, Head of Civil Defense Organization Brigadier-General Gholamreza Jalali said on Saturday.

“We will need a common understanding of the issue and its importance in order to be able to fully establish a National Information Network,” Jalali said.

The official said that he does not like the phrase “National Internet” very much and prefers to use “National Information Network” instead as it is not aimed to replace the worldwide web; rather, be used along with the global internet.

National Information Network can even increase the pace of global internet as it did in many other countries including South Korea, China and Singapore, Jalali said.  

“We must exercise our national sovereignty in cyberspace,” the official said, noting that National Information Network is one of the most vital elements of this sovereignty.

Jalali said that even many European countries are critical about the US dominance over the cyberspace.

Referring to the US president’s pressure for blocking foreign-based social network applications like Tik Tok in the United States, the official said that even the US administration is concerned about such threats.  

He said that the development of foreign-based social networks create many state, security, legal and economic challenges.

“Today the security of employment and businesses of some of the people is in hands of foreigners and in times of crises, the enemies can endanger the country’s economic security.”