May 17, World Communications Day, arrives this year at a time when the issue of "communication" in Iran has, more than ever before, become a strategic issue, even a matter of national security. In many countries around the world, this day is an opportunity to unveil new generations of technology, develop internet infrastructure, expand the digital economy, increase data exchange speeds, and deepen connectivity to the global network. But in Iran, a significant portion of the discourse still revolves around restricted access, disruption, slow speeds, and the uncertain future of digital communications. This very fact shows that the issue of communications in Iran has yet to pass the stage of "strategic decision-making" and remains suspended between two competing perspectives: one that sees communications as an engine of development, and another that views it primarily through the lens of threat.

This is even as Masoud Pezeshkian, following the escalation of labor and professional protests, recently tasked his first vice president with a special investigation into the state of the internet and communication access—a move that clearly indicates that the issue of communications is no longer merely a technical or service matter, but has become one of the central pillars of governance in Iran. Because in today's world, communications are not just a means of transmitting messages; they are the infrastructure of power.

In the 21st century, the concept of national power has transformed. Once, the power of nations was measured by the number of soldiers, landmass, or energy reserves, but today other indicators have become equally decisive: the degree of access to the global information network, data velocity, media power, content production capacity, command of the digital economy, and the ability to connect to the world. In fact, the new world must be understood as a "world of networks", a world in which countries are as influential and powerful as their degree of connection to the global network.

Today, the internet and communication infrastructure play the same role in the present century that oil played in the 20th century and railroads played in the 19th. Just as a country without railroads lagged behind the industrial development cycle, a country that lacks an active, stable, and reliable presence in the global communications network will gradually be pushed aside from the path of global development. This is precisely why the world's major powers have defined communications development as part of their national security doctrine.

In today's world, an economy without communications is nearly meaningless. Global trade, banking, transportation, education, tourism, investment, stock markets, artificial intelligence, scientific research, and even crisis management, all take shape on the platform of communications. The digital economy is now one of the greatest drivers of wealth creation in the world, and countries that entered this arena earlier have captured a larger share of the future economy. Under such circumstances, any chronic disruption in the communications cycle is not merely a technical restriction; it is a reduction in national power capacity.

On the other hand, communications in the new age are not only a tool of economics but also a tool of politics and security. Today's wars are not decided solely on military battlefields. A significant part of these battles takes place in the arena of narratives, media, and social networks. Public opinion, social perceptions, and the international image of countries are now part of the power domain. A country that cannot convey its own narrative to the world will have its narrative constructed by others. This is why media and communications power has become part of the soft power of nations.

Iran, by virtue of its geopolitical position, human capacity, large domestic market, and regional standing, could be one of the region's major communications powers. But realizing this goal requires a change in the way the issue of communications is viewed. Still, in some parts of the decision-making structure, communications are seen more as a threat than an opportunity. The result of such a perspective is the formation of a cautious and defensive form of governance in the digital space, governance that sometimes, instead of smart management, moves toward broad restriction.

Of course, the threats of communications cannot be denied. Cyberspace can be a medium for information infiltration, psychological warfare, perceptual chaos, media operations, and cultural destruction. The experience of many countries has shown that communication networks can be tools of crisis as much as they can be tools of development. But the main issue is that the answer to the threat of communications is not disconnection; it is the "increase of governance power."

No country in the world has achieved power through widespread disconnection. Even the world's major security powers try to strike a balance between security and connectivity. Because in the new age, isolation carries a very heavy cost. A society that distances itself from the free flow of knowledge, technology, and the global economy will, sooner or later, face capital flight, elite emigration, reduced competitiveness, and a decline in social capital.

The reality is that communications today are not merely a "possibility"; they are the "oxygen" of the modern world. Just as a body cannot survive without blood flow, today's economy and society cannot maintain their dynamism without the free and stable flow of information and communications. A country whose communications are restricted, slow, and unstable has, in effect, blocked part of its own growth capacity.

World Communications Day is not just a calendar occasion for Iran; it is an opportunity to rethink a fundamental question: In today's networked world, can maximum power be generated with minimum connectivity? Global experience has given a clear answer to this question. The power of the future belongs to countries that can both maintain their security and remain connected to the world in an intelligent, broad, and active manner. In today's world, communications are not merely a tool of power; they are power itself.