Iran's judiciary suspends President Pezeshkian's decision to lift internet restrictions

Iran's Administrative Justice Court has temporarily suspended implementation of a presidential decree establishing a center approved by President Masoud Pezeshkian to ease restrictions on internet access. The move, as reported by Anadolu Agency (AA), has once again laid bare the tension over internet freedom between the country's judiciary and executive branch.

Pezeshkian, who took office last year, made easing Iran's sweeping internet censorship a centerpiece of his election campaign. He approved the center and sought to formally launch the process of lifting restrictions. The Administrative Justice Court's temporary suspension order has now blocked that reform from taking effect, at least for now.

Many social media platforms and websites — Instagram and WhatsApp chief among them — have been blocked in Iran for years, with millions of users relying on VPN applications to circumvent the restrictions. The judiciary's direct intervention in an executive decision marks a notable development in the country's institutional balance of power.