US Space Dominance vs. Digital Colonialism: How Tech Sanctions Deepen Iran’s Isolation and Global Inequality
Original framing: “The US Can Put People on the Moon. Why Can’t It Get Iranians Online?” — Wired
The US has imposed economic sanctions on Iran since 1979, with digital restrictions tightening after the 2009 Green Movement and the 2015 JCPOA collapse. These sanctions have systematically excluded Iranian entities from global tech supply chains, forcing reliance on domestic alternatives like the 'National Information Network' (SHOMA). Historical parallels include the 1980s US embargo on Nicaragua, which crippled digital development, and Cuba’s 'packet-switched network' as a response to isolation.
The US’s inability to 'get Iranians online' is not a failure of governance but a symptom of systemic digital colonialism, where sanctions and tech monopolies enforce inequality under the guise of geopolitical strategy.
Iran’s digital isolation is the direct result of 45 years of US economic warfare, which has forced the country to develop alternative infrastructures like the SHOMA network—mirroring historical precedents from Cuba to Nicaragua. Meanwhile, Western narratives frame the issue through Jason Rezaian’s lens, obscuring the voices of Iranian women technologists, LGBTQ+ activists, and ethnic minorities who are building grassroots solutions. The solution lies in decentralized sovereignty, sanctions reform, and cross-cultural solidarity, where digital access is reclaimed as a cultural and political right rather than a commodity. This is not just about Iran—it’s a blueprint for resisting digital colonialism globally, from Palestine to the favelas of Brazil.