Irancell CEO Dismissed Amid Internet Shutdown
According to Fars news agency, the CEO of Irancell, the second-largest mobile operator in Iran, has been dismissed for non-compliance with government internet shutdown orders. “Alireza Rafiee was removed from his position as the company’s CEO about a year after starting,” Fars reported. “The decision was made by the relevant authorities, citing ‘non-compliance with declared rules in crisis situations’.”
Starlink’s Unprecedented Response
On January 8, Elon Musk launched a free broadband internet access through Starlink in Iran. This comes as a swift response to Iran’s sudden communication blackout amidst rising calls for anti-government protests, originally sparked by the economic crisis. Since then, internet access in Iran has been virtually impossible, although restrictions have been easing for some foreign sites like Google over the weekends.
State television reported that access to Google was restored “through all mobile lines and internet providers.” Founded in 2005, Irancell claims to have 70 million subscribers.
