Iran plans to unplug the Internet, launch its own “clean” alternative

Iran topped a recent list of repressive regimes that most aggressively restrict Internet freedom. The list, published by Reporters Without Borders, is a part of the 2012 edition of the organization’s Enemies of the Internet report.

One of the details addressed in that report is the Iranian government’s bizarre plan to create its own “clean” Internet. The proposed system, an insular nation-wide intranet that is isolated from the regular Internet, will be heavily regulated by the government. According to a report published today by the International Business Times, Iranian government officials have announced that the new system will be ready to deploy within five months.