While the controversy around Google and China continues to push on, albeit at a more subdued tone, someone else looks to be crawling into the brawl. Iran, the most favorite country in the world has announced today that it plans to completely block any and all access to Gmail. The reasoning given by government officials to the WallStreet Journal claim that it is to “further technological innovation” within the country and that a nationalized email system will...

Those silly Iranian government employees. They think closing off internet access in the country because of citizen protests concerning the rigged election and “re-election” of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as well as remembrance of December 6, 1953 — the killing of three of University of Tehran students by Iranian police — will stop the truth from leaking out to the rest of the civilized world. They can silence the people within their own country,...

Live in Iran today? Use Gmail or Yahoo. At least concerning the latter, who doesn’t? If you fulfill both requirements however, chances are you’re beginning to notice (if you haven’t already) that Gmail and Yahoo (as well as many other English language sites) have been given the ‘ol heave ho from the digital pipes flowing in and out of Iran. The latest crackdown appears to be a signal that another wave of arrests and oppressive government control...