FLASH
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The Iranian state news agency Fars reported that the Iranian government has made the decision to end the widespread internet shutdown that has affected the country for months, restoring access nationwide.
According to Fars, the decree to return the internet to the “status quo” was communicated to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology by the President of the Islamic Republic a few minutes ago. Sources within the ministry said that work to restore services is starting immediately. The vast majority of Iranian citizens have been disconnected from the global internet since the start of the military conflict with the United States and Israel in late February 2026.
Monitoring group NetBlocks has reported that internet connectivity has dropped to minimal levels (around 1-4% of normal) for extended periods, making this outage one of the longest and most severe in history.
The blackout began during the January 2026 protests and intensified after Israeli-American military strikes. Iranian authorities have justified the measure on national security grounds, saying it aims to prevent the spread of disinformation, cyberattacks and possible coordination of anti-regime activities. Critics, including human rights groups, say the blackout has largely served to conceal the scale of casualties, arrests and damage from the war.
During this period, Iranians have been largely confined to the national network, which provides access only to censored domestic services. Many businesses, especially those dependent on online commerce, digital payments, and international communication, have suffered significant economic losses.
If the decision is fully implemented, access to international platforms such as Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp, and global news sites is expected to be gradually restored. This would allow Iranian citizens to directly share images, videos, and testimonies from inside the country about the real impact of the war, something that has been limited until now.
However, experts warn that the return may be partial or slow due to “technical complexities.” In the past, authorities have used a dual approach: full access for officials, approved journalists, and selected businesses, while the public remains restricted.
NetBlocks and other monitoring organizations are expected to closely monitor the restoration to verify whether it is real or just a formal announcement. The development comes at a delicate moment for Iran, as the country struggles to recover from the consequences of military conflict and international pressure. The restoration of the internet could bring not only relief to the population, but also new challenges for the authorities' control of information.
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