Iran is gearing up to welcome international football stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, with a special offer that has ruffled feathers both within and beyond its borders.
Tehran is set to host a showdown between Ronaldo's Al Nassr and Persepolis FC in an AFC Champions League tie next week.
However, Iranian citizens have long been grappling with severe internet restrictions, unable to access the online world as freely as their foreign counterparts.
As reported by Al Jazeera, this glaring divide has sparked a debate that transcends the boundaries of football and plunges into the heart of Iranian society.
Reza Darvish, the president of Persepolis FC, is leading the charge for change.
He announced on state television, shedding light on a plan that aims to bridge the digital chasm for foreign footballers.
Darvish's vision is to provide these athletes with Irancell SIM cards, an exclusive pass to unrestricted internet access throughout their stay in Iran, from arrival to departure.
This remarkable offer comes in stark contrast to the grim reality faced by the Iranian populace, where tens of thousands of websites and major global social media platforms remain blocked, hidden behind the digital curtain that has descended upon the nation.
The roots of this disparity trace back to a pivotal moment in September 2022, when the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in police custody sent shockwaves across Iran, igniting widespread protests that persisted for months.
In response, authorities amplified internet restrictions, citing the potential threat posed by foreign platforms beyond their local control.
WhatsApp and Instagram, the last bastions of unfiltered communication, were also swept away in the turbulent tide of censorship.
For Iranians, virtual private networks (VPNs) have become the elusive lifelines that allow them to navigate these digital barriers.
However, the government has clamped down relentlessly on these tools in recent years, forcing users to engage in a cumbersome and costly cat-and-mouse game with authorities, frequently switching VPNs and connections to maintain online access.
The Iranian government has clarified that the path to unblocking major foreign apps requires parent companies to establish a physical presence within Iran, complete with permanent representatives to address state inquiries.
As of now, no company has yielded to this demand.
As the anniversary of the pivotal protests approaches, the digital landscape remains tumultuous.
NetBlocks, an internet observatory, reported disruptions, while Information and Communications Technology Minister Issa Zarepour attributed these hiccups to network upgrades.
However, he also hinted at a potential reassessment of restrictions, though specifics remained elusive.
Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami added a touch of humor to the unfolding drama.
He playfully suggested that Ronaldo would need to embrace local messaging services to stay in touch with loved ones back home, naming two government-backed platforms, Bale and Eitaa.
His lighthearted comment, though, failed to quell the growing discontent among many Iranians, who perceive this special treatment for foreign celebrities as a deep insult and a form of discrimination against them as citizens.
Amid this digital divide, parallels were drawn to the long-standing issue of gender discrimination in Iranian football, where women have historically been denied entry to stadiums.
The sentiment expressed by some Iranians is clear: granting Ronaldo and his team unfiltered internet access while their own access remains restricted echoes the same humiliation and disparity experienced by Iranian women barred from attending matches.
Despite the controversies, the football spectacle is set to unfold.
The Azadi Stadium in Tehran will stand empty, a stark consequence of an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) ban stemming from licensing regulations.
Ronaldo's fellow football luminaries, Neymar and Karim Benzema are also poised to grace Iranian soil, with their respective teams, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, scheduled to face Nassaji Mazandaran and Sepahan on Oct. 2 and 3.
The AFC recently heralded a groundbreaking agreement between the football federations of Iran and Saudi Arabia, marking the resumption of home-and-away football matches after a seven-year rift.
Since 2016, Iranian and Saudi teams have been forced to square off on neutral territory in Dubai and Doha.
This historic reconciliation follows a China-brokered agreement that saw Tehran and Riyadh restore diplomatic relations, culminating in the deployment of ambassadors to their respective capitals last week.