Iranian state media reported on Monday that President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the restoration of international internet access across Iran after almost three months of restrictions that left most part of the Islamic Republic cut off from the world wide web.
Iran initially imposed the restrictions on January 8 as a response to the nationwide anti-regime protests. The access was partially restored on January 23 before being reimposed on February 28, which was the beginning of the ongoing war with Israel and the United States. According to NetBlocks, internet connectivity across the country was just between 1 per cent and 2 per cent of normal levels for weeks. Before the restrictions were introduced, the levels were around 90 per cent to 100 per cent.
Officials from Iran’s Communications Ministry confirmed the orders, with state-linked Mehr News Agency reporting that Pezeshkian approved a plan to restore internet access after a high-level meeting involving Iran’s Cyber Space Steering and Organising Headquarters on Monday. According to the Fars News Agency, the decision was passed with nine votes in favour and three against during the meeting.
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that Iran was facing an internet blackout for over 87 days, leaving most Iranians without access to international websites and social media platforms. Some relied on expensive VPN services to evade state-imposed controls.
NetBlocks described the blackout as “the most severe, by extent and duration, that we’ve tracked in the history of modern internet connectivity”.
The restrictions disrupted the daily lives of many Iranian citizens as families struggled to contact loved ones during heightened military tensions. Online business owners suffered heavy losses as they lost access to customers and suppliers.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, over a million people are believed to have lost work due to the effects of war, protests, and internet restrictions.
Most Iranians were also cut off from the outside world, leaving their only source of information to be state-sponsored media.
