The Internet and 'Strait of Hormuz Pro'

The ongoing confrontation between the Washington-Tel Aviv axis and Iran, amid its inevitable destruction, produced a strategic byproduct for Tehran: reinforcing sovereign control over the Strait of Hormuz and transforming it into a tolling checkpoint for international maritime traffic. In realpolitik, extracting transit fees from foreign powers is an established instrument of statecraft and geopolitical leverage.

However, replicating this "Strait of Hormuz" tollbooth model against your own citizens represents a catastrophic miscalculation. This policy touches the exact nerve that ignited nationwide protests in 2017, 2019, and 2025: systemic discrimination. When a state erects artificial walls between social classes, it inevitably invites the disenfranchised into confrontation.

The most glaring manifestation of this dangerous precedent is the emergence of "Internet Pro." The underlying logic is as shocking as it is simple: the state first filters and chokes the national information highway, and then extorts a premium toll from citizens seeking to bypass those very state-manufactured barriers. The state treats its own citizenry exactly as it treats foreign vessels in the Strait of Hormuz! Consequently, citizens realize they are regarded not as sovereigns of the nation, but as revenue sources forced to pay tribute simply to breathe in the digital sphere. When pushed into this corner, despair converts into rage—driving some to seek salvation in foreign intervention at any cost, fracturing the fundamental social contract of the nation-state.

The semantic deception is equally offensive. Appending the suffix "Pro" to internet subscriptions insults public intelligence. The internet is a indivisible public utility; splitting it into "standard" and "professional" tiers is merely a cosmetic disguise for digital extortion. The hypocrisy is staggering: authorities filter online platforms on grounds of "moral contamination," yet willingly sell access to that exact content for cash. This mirrors medieval papal indulgences, where absolution was traded for gold coins.

Imposing tolls on the fundamental right to communicate is an anti-citizen measure hitting the middle and working classes hardest. While commercial elites, state functionaries, and wealthy strata bypass censorship through multi-tiered access, the broader public is cast into total digital isolation—institutionalizing a digital caste system.

During wartime, ordinary Iranians stood by their homeland and suspended grievances to defend the nation. This solidarity was a priceless opportunity for the state to heal past wounds. The simplest step to signal goodwill is lifting internet restrictions.

You cannot treat your own citizens like foreign adversaries in the Strait of Hormuz and expect loyalty. "Internet Pro" merely professionalizes discrimination, cultivating the very social tempests that have repeatedly shaken the nation.