Thread by @AminSabeti

Let's fact-check this article that was written by @farnazfassihi and published by @nytimes on 5 August 2021. The last paragraph of the article is not accurate and misleading. /1
nytimes.com/2021/08/05/wor…

According to the @freedomhouse internet freedom report in 2020, the internet is "Not Free", and Iran's score is 15/100, which 0 means least free and 100 means most free. /2
freedomhouse.org/country/iran/f…

All popular social media and websites such as @Facebook, @Twitter, @telegram, @YouTube, etc., are blocked in the country. Also, @signalapp has been blocked in Iran as users have difficulty using it without a VPN. @instagram and @WhatsApp are the only apps that are not blocked. /3

The bill that is mentioned in @nytimes' article was not proposed by Raeisi. It was initially proposed by @azarijahromi (Link:isna.ir/news/970506032…), @HassanRouhani's ICT Minster, in July 2018. Also, the new proposal is proposed by Iran's MPs, not Raeisi. /4

For sure, Raeisi is a criminal, as mentioned in the article, but what @nytimes said about the internet is not accurate because the internet has been butchered by @HassanRouhani's administration and "severely restrict access to the internet" is already in place. /5

.@instagram and @WhatsApp are the only non-Iranian popular apps that are not blocked in Iran and this bill wants to go after them. But let's not forget, for example, the so-called moderate @HassanRouhani blocked @telegram when it had more than 40 million users in the country. /6

Long story short, what @nytimes claimed is wrong and misleading as the internet is heavily censored in Iran, the bill was proposed by Rouhani, and Raeisi is going to do what Rouhani did: Blocking more non-Iranian services. It is not a unique act by Raeisi. /7