The story: Iran’s parliament has allocated 30 trillion IRR (714M/120M USD at the official/market rate respectively) to the state broadcaster’s budget to oversee and produce “cultural content” for cyberspace. The funding will be provided through an increase in the tax imposed on telecommunication companies. In response, Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, the minister of information and communications technology, has warned that the tax rise will increase Internet prices significantly.

The coverage: The additional funding for Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), whose chairman is appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was passed in parliament on Feb. 23. Lawmakers project that taxes collected...