Iran begins online crackdown as it suspends access to Gmail.

The telecommunications arm of the Iranian government has permanently suspended Google’s mail service – Gmail – leaving users unable to access their email accounts.

In several online blogs Gmail users in Iran have been left dumbstruck after being unable to access their emails.

A Google spokesman said in a statement: “We have heard from users in Iran that they are having trouble accessing Gmail. We can confirm a sharp drop in traffic, and we have looked at our own networks and found that they are working properly.

“When we encounter blocks in our services we try to resolve them as quickly as possible because we strongly believe that people everywhere should have the ability to communicate freely online.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, an Iranian official said the “move was meant to boost local development of internet technology and to build trust between people and the government.”

Internet security experts have said this crackdown marks another effort by the regime to close the gap with its opposition through its control of Iranian cyberspace.

Richard Stiennon, founder of internet security firm IT-Harvest, said: “The primary purpose of this is to control communication and mine that communication, so the government can crack down on dissenters and people who threaten the government.

“If the government can induce the population to use a state-controlled email service, it would have access to the content of all of those emails.”

However, speculation is mounting that it is no coincidence the block came on the eve of rallies across Iran to mark the 31st anniversary of the nation’s revolution. Thousands of people have gathered on the streets on what is known as the most important day in Iran’s political calendar.

Reports say that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has used the rally to once again launch a staunch attack on the west and he has announced that Iran has produced its first stock of 20% enriched uranium.