Iran Begins Restoring Internet After Nearly Three-Month Blackout
Iran has begun restoring internet access after a three-month blackout, though the restoration is partial and includes new restrictions.
Lauren Collins ·
Iran began restoring internet access across the country on Tuesday, nearly three months after a nationwide shutdown imposed on Feb. 28, according to the country’s first vice president and internet monitoring groups.
First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said the restoration process had started. Monitoring groups Netblocks and Kentik reported a partial return of connectivity around 13:00 GMT, though Kentik said most networks still appeared to be offline.
The blackout was among the longest national internet shutdowns recorded globally. It began after the start of U.S. and Israeli attacks, with Iranian officials saying the aim was to reduce the risk of surveillance, espionage and cyber-attacks.
Partial return, with signs of tighter filtering
Some users reported being able to reconnect via home WiFi on Tuesday, including a content creator in Tehran and a doctor in Isfahan. Netblocks said access had not returned uniformly, with regional variation.
Netblocks also reported indications of more extensive filtering than before January, including additional restrictions affecting messaging applications such as WhatsApp. The group said it was unclear whether the restoration would be sustained and noted that, in previous shutdowns, connectivity often returned gradually over hours.
Background of repeated shutdowns and limited access
Iran has a record of reimposing restrictions after restoring connectivity. Netblocks said previous returns from shutdowns were followed by heavier controls.
The restoration came as Iran condemned recent U.S. strikes. The United States described those as “self-defense strikes” and said they targeted Iranian missile sites and boats in southern Iran on Monday.
Before the Feb. 28 cutoff, Iran had experienced full internet access for about a month after a similar shutdown in January.
Monitoring groups and users are likely to watch whether access stabilizes nationwide and whether filtering levels remain higher than before the blackout.