Iran Ends 88-Day Internet Blackout, Restores Access
Monitors said access remained below 10% of normal levels as fixed broadband returned for some users and mobile networks stayed largely offline.
- On Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an order to reopen international internet access after a near-90-day blackout, with the Cyberspace Regulation Committee voting to restore nationwide connectivity.
- Authorities initially imposed the blackout on January 8 in response to anti-government protests, then reinstated it after U.S. and Israeli strikes began on February 28, leaving most Iranians without access for 87 days according to internet observatory NetBlocks.
- Human Rights Watch researcher Tomiwa Ilori warned that shutdowns restrict access to lifesaving information and cause severe psychological harm, while the blackout has left many Iranians unable to contact distant family members and caused economic hardship for workers dependent on internet access.
- Implementation details remain unclear, though the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology will oversee restoration after final approval from President Pezeshkian, with the committee formed in mid-May under pressure from hardline conservatives.
- Even after restoration, access to the global internet in Iran remains heavily restricted through website censorship, with authorities continuing to rely on a domestic intranet for essential services including schools running online classes.
251 Articles
251 Articles
Iranians are back online after a monthslong shutdown but face heavy restrictions
Iranians began to regain internet access after authorities ended a monthslong shutdown. Users said service was slow and spotty in some areas, with apps like YouTube and Instagram heavily restricted.(Image credit: Vahid Salemi)
Iran Begins Restoring Internet After Record 88-Day Blackout
Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date. Iran has begun restoring its citizens’ access to the internet after an 88-day blackout that monitors say was the longest nationwide shutdown ever recorded. Getting into it: The …
The internet is back in Iran, at least partially. Iranians inside and outside the country reported with delight on Wednesday that contact was possible again between...
Associated Press News
Iranians are back online after a monthslong shutdown but still face heavy restrictions
Iranians have begun to regain internet access after authorities ended a monthslong shutdown. But users say service is slow and spotty in some areas, with apps like YouTube and Instagram heavily restricted, as they were before the cutoff began during nationwide protests in January.
More than 90 million people in Iran once again have access to the Internet after authorities blocked their access for almost three months, the national disconnection...
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 37% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
