<p>The Iranian regime has been an enemy to freedom of speech for decades but on Sunday, September 23, 2012, they still surprised many by announcing that they would begin filtering Google and Gmail in the next hours.</p><p>An Iranian official, Abdolsamad Khoramabadi, said this was due [fa] to a request by the public to oppose an anti-Islam film on YouTube that many see as blasphemous (Google owns YouTube). Khoramabadi is a key member of a "Commission to Determine Instances of Criminal Content".</p><p>Meanwhile some speculate that the true reason for blocking Google has more to do with promoting the so called Iranian "national Internet" which wassupposed to become operational on 22 September, but has so far not appeared.</p><p>Global Voices contacted several Iranians in different cities including Tehran, Shiraz and Qom. Almost all say they have no access to Gmail. A number of them are also unable to access Google search.</p><p><a href="http://www.care2.com/causes/iran-blocks-internet-basics-google-gmail.html">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/09/iran-google-gmail-blocked.html">Google, Gmail blocked as Iran pushes &#039;national Internet&#039;</a> (Los Angeles Times)</p><p><a href="http://www.groundreport.com/Politics/Access-to-Google-and-Gmail-Blocked-in-Iran/2948234">Access to Google and Gmail Blocked in Iran</a> (GroundReport)</p><p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/09/iran-blocks-gmail-secure-google-searches/">Iran blocks Gmail, secure Google searches</a> (Ars Technica)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&ned=us&ncl=dSLlUb4jbqks-xM2O1xMDe1dVrrsM">272 additional articles.</a></p>