Iran bans high-speed internet

IRAN'S GOVERNMENT HAS BANNED high speed internet in an effort to cut out influence from the west, reports The Guardian. This comes shortly after a clampdown on satellite dishes, which Iranians use to watch western TV.

The move restricts the country's five million internet users to a mere 128k connection, and broadband has been strictly forbidden. Iranian bigwigs seem to think that western music, movies and TV shows are poisoning and undermining the country's proud Islamic culture among the little 'uns. The ban will make it far more difficult for kids to download such things.

Plenty seem opposed to Iran's latest policy, with MPs and academics reckoning that it's likely to slow Iran's modernisation progress. Ramazan-ali Sedeghzadeh who's the chairman for the parliamentary telecommunications committee made clear his views, saying that "the country needs it for development and access to contemporary science."

A petition opposing the ban, featuring over 1,000 signatures, is to be sent to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is no doubt googling furiously for "how to build a nuclear bomb." µ