Iran began restoring internet access on Tuesday after a near-total shutdown that lasted almost three months, making it one of the longest national internet blackouts ever recorded. First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref announced the move on X, writing that “the first step toward free and regulated access to cyberspace has been taken.” Internet monitoring groups Netblocks and Kentik reported partial restoration around 13:00 GMT, though Kentik cautioned that most networks remained down. The government had cut access on February 28 following the launch of U.S. and Israeli military strikes, citing the need to prevent surveillance, espionage, and cyberattacks. Before that blackout, Iranians had enjoyed only about a month of uninterrupted connectivity following an earlier shutdown imposed during a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests in January. A content creator and a doctor, both speaking to the BBC from Tehran and Isfahan respectively, confirmed they could connect via home WiFi on Tuesday.
Netblocks research director Isik Mater said the restoration was incomplete and regionally uneven, and flagged “more extensive filtering” than existed before January — including additional restrictions on messaging apps such as WhatsApp, meaning families may still struggle to reach relatives abroad. “Historically, each time internet access has been restored after an internet shutdown in Iran it has come back with heavier restrictions and tighter controls,” Mater said, adding it was unclear whether Tuesday’s partial return would be sustained. The news comes as Iran condemned fresh U.S. strikes carried out on Monday against Iranian missile sites and vessels it accused of attempting to lay naval mines in southern Iran, calling the action a “gross violation” of the April 8 ceasefire. In the weeks between the ceasefire and Tuesday’s partial restoration, the government had introduced an “internet pro” premium-access tier for businesses and professionals, subject to identity verification — a scheme that drew widespread backlash and which officials later described as unofficial and temporary.