Prosecutors in Iran have filed a complaint against the minister of communications and information technology for alleged "Internet espionage," state media report.
Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi was accused of not following judicial orders related to Iran's Internet controls, Javad Javidnia, the deputy for cyberspace affairs at the public prosecutor's office, was quoted as saying on February 24.
Javidnia said the minister's actions left Iran's data vulnerable to access by the country's enemies, which he said amounted to "Internet espionage."
Jahromi, 37, is the youngest member of President Hassan Rohani's government. He is also said to be Iran’s most popular minister, due largely to his support for the lifting of controls on the Internet.
According to observers, the allegation against the minister is another attempt by Iran’s hard-liners to undermine Rohani.