88-Days Internet Isolation Ends as Iran Reconnects to the Digital World
WANA (May 27) – For those whose lives, art, or businesses are interwoven with the fabric of social networks, nothing is more delightful than the sound of successive notifications and the lighting up of internet connection indicators after a prolonged period of silence.
“Mina,” one of the thousands of bloggers and digital marketing professionals in Iran, was finally able last night, after 88 days of hope and fear, to open her page without the need for any shortcuts.
During this period, when the heavy shadow of war and security crises had reduced Iran’s connection to the global network to the absolute minimum, trying to survive in cyberspace was akin to running in a dark room.
Last night, however, with the influx of messages and the gradual opening of pathways, new life was breathed into the bodies of these digital showcases; an end to 2,088 hours of communicative isolation, which now, with the beginning of the removal of restrictions, promises more vibrant days for livelihoods connected to the internet.
NetBlocks’ today’s report on Iran’s internet connection (NetBlocks tracks internet connectivity worldwide in real-time). Social media/ WANA News Agency
The Beginning of the Removal of Restrictions on International Internet
According to media announcements, based on new ratifications and with the subsiding of the regional emergency conditions, the process of returning Iran’s internet to its state prior to the Ramadan War began yesterday.
Reports indicate that all fixed broadband services (FTTH, VDSL, and ADSL), alongside mobile operator networks, are exiting restrictions step-by-step, and access to international websites has been re-established.
Although restrictions are still being reported on some services for certain users, it is predicted that these restrictions will also be lifted.
The Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Technology of Iran, confirming this process, announced that mobile internet will also be fully connected today.
Fatemeh Mohajerani, the government spokesperson, during her press conference yesterday, pointed out that this action was taken by the direct order of the President and in response to public demands, calling it a vital step toward supporting digital businesses and facilitating smart access for society.
International Internet Access Gradually Restored in Iran
WANA (May 26) – International monitoring services and technical data indicate that access to the global internet in Iran is gradually expanding, with some of the recent restrictions now easing. According to the latest figures released by NetBlocks, internet connectivity in Iran has risen to approximately 34 percent. The internet monitoring organization said its […]
Security Measures During the Days of War
The root of this prolonged cutting of access dates back to the days of escalating military conflicts on February 28, 2026.
At that sensitive juncture, the Supreme National Security Council and policy-making bodies were compelled to apply these severe restrictions in order to manage the crisis, prevent the leakage of big data and sensitive coordinates, and immunize the country’s critical infrastructure—such as banks and fuel systems—against waves of foreign cyberattacks.
Although this decision was considered a necessity from the perspective of preserving national security and safeguarding the psychological atmosphere of society against war rumors, it provoked different reactions across various layers of society.
Economic activists, freelancers, and the country’s software guild spoke of serious damage to the body of the digital economy, while proponents of the plan considered the country’s physical and cyber security during wartime as a non-negotiable red line to which every other tool must be subservient.
Iran’s Internet: No License, No Guardrails
WANA (Feb 05) – On the streets of Tehran, when you talk to a teenager about the internet, they speak of a long list of VPNs lined up on their phone. It seems that although filtering has made access to their desired online space more difficult, it has by no means completely stopped them. […]
Special Lines and Internet
It was during these difficult times that terms like “White Internet,” “White Lines,” and the emerging phenomenon of “Pro Internet” re-entered Iran’s media vocabulary.
“White Internet” was a restricted and screened access allocated exclusively to official news agencies, banks, IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting), ministries, and certain large strategic companies to ensure that the country’s essential operations did not grind to a halt.
Alongside this, a bizarre black market emerged for selling “Pro Accounts”—essentially unfiltered internet—at exorbitant prices; an issue that brought a wave of grievances among ordinary people and even drew the intervention of regulatory bodies and an explicit order from the Chief of the Judiciary to crack down on discrimination in the distribution of these privileges.
Nevertheless, these solutions were practically useless for the main body of online businesses. For bloggers and online shops whose entire capital relies on interaction with people inside the country, having a special line or access to a Pro Account solved nothing; this was because their target audience and customers—meaning the general public—had no network access, making this style of access beneficial only to a limited few.
Pro Internet in Iran: A Temporary Solution or Digital Segregation?
WANA (Apr 29) – In the past two months, Iran has faced an unprecedented digital blackout. NetBlocks reported that access to the international internet is only around 2%, with the entire country having been under communication restrictions for a total of 1416 hours. This prolonged outage has not only disrupted the daily lives of […]
Behind the Scenes of Western Digital Sympathies
Yet, throughout all the days Iran was engaged in managing this complex security crisis, the strange insistence and persistence of Western and Israeli media and officials to keep the flow of internet open in Iran seemed thought-provoking.
This indescribable enthusiasm, moving far beyond slogans of freedom of expression, was rooted in the hidden strategies of psychological warfare.
In wartime conditions, foreign think tanks were in dire need of a smooth and high-speed platform so they could plant the seeds of fear, despair, and systematic rumors in the heart of society, thereby weakening the country’s internal front.
An Iranian man looks at his mobile phone in Tehran, Iran, December 27, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
On the other hand, the open internet served for them as a communication platform for the command and field guidance of riots, aiming to divert the focus of defense forces away from the borders by creating blind insecurities within cities.
Beyond this, access to signals and the monitoring of social networks provided them with a priceless espionage tool through big data analysis to observe the public’s psychological state and identify the country’s vulnerable points.
The First Step Toward Stability
As the crisis subsides and reopening begins, the country’s digital community is returning to normal after a tough period. While repairing damages to micro-businesses will take time, the government’s decision to restore previous conditions ended rumors of permanent blockage, reinforcing that network stability and digital economy prosperity are vital for the country’s development. This move prompts the drafting of smarter strategies to manage future crises without harming people’s livelihoods.
