In order to provide internet access for Iranians, the US has stated that it is enabling American tech companies to extend their operations in Iran, one of the most heavily sanctioned nations in the world.
The Treasury Department reported that a revised general license issued on Friday allows tech companies to provide more video conferencing, cloud-based services, and social media and collaboration platforms.
The revised license also does away with the requirement that communications be “personal,” which Treasury claimed burdened businesses by requiring them to confirm the communications’ intent.
During a crackdown on protesters over the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, while in the care of Iran’s morality police, the government of Iran cut off the majority of its 80 million residents access to the internet.
In a statement, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said, “As brave Iranians take to the streets to condemn the killing of Mahsa Amini, the United States is redoubling its support for the free flow of information to the Iranian people.”
“By making these improvements, we are giving the Iranian people stronger tools to fight back against the efforts of the regime to monitor and censor them.”
Crackdown on protesters.
Amini was detained by the morality police last week on the grounds that she failed to properly wear a headscarf, which is required of Iranian women. Amini passed just three days after collapsing at a police station.
An NGO reported on Friday that at least 50 people had died as a result of the Iranian security forces’ crackdown on protests that broke out after her passing.
The increase in the death toll, according to the Iran Human Rights (IHR) NGO based in Oslo, came when six civilians were killed by a security force fire in the northern Gilan province town of Rezvanshahr on Thursday night. Also in northern Iran, Babol and Amol reported further fatalities.
Since the demonstrations began one week ago, there have been protests in about 80 cities and other urban areas, it continued.
Rights organizations have also brought up fatalities in Amini’s native northern Kurdistan.
The Iranian government’s official death toll from the fighting is still at least 17, including five security personnel.
On Thursday, US sanctions were put in place against the heads of law enforcement organizations and the morality police.
