Iranian Government Begins to Undo the Longest Recorded Nationwide Internet Shutdown.

On May 26th, Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian and a group he created in 2024 to “” uplifted the longest nationwide internet shutdown ever recorded. The to uplift the ban was made to help Iranians acquire access to a “free and regulated access to cyberspace,” says Mohammad Reza Aref, the first vice president of Iran.

Iran’s internet blockage started on February 28th, the day that the country faced attacks from the U.S. and Israel. According to BBC news, the government claims that the internet shutdown was done to prevent threats like “surveillance, espionage, and cyber attacks.” Despite that, many Iranians believe the internet blockage was to ensure that citizens could not plan . In 2019, Iranians held a five day protest, and as a result at least 323 people.

Iran authorities shut down access to the internet to prevent the flow of information from spreading inside and outside the country. According to the , Iran’s government restored around 41% of its internet traffic, and most people still don’t have access to the internet.

During internet shutdown people were only allowed to access a select few apps and websites, which were
heavily surveilled by the government. Only a few thousand people were. Amir Rashidi, director of Digital Rights and Security in Miaan Group, says that people who push Iranian propaganda are allowed to get a white SIM card, which gives them access to uncensored internet. Business owners are able to apply for Internet Pro, which does the same as a white SIM card, but comes with extremely high costs.

Avoiding the blockage was not impossible, however. Some people were it through installing VPNs and
sneaking in satellite technology into Iran. These two alternatives, not only have high costs. They also pose high risks of getting caught, which can lead to severe punishments.

NPR says that the internet blockage resulted in the loss of 30 to 40 million dollars, not including other indirect costs. Businesses and the jobs of young people that relied on the internet were affected deeply, ultimately leading to large amounts of business closure and job loss. In an interview with an anonymous content creator and gamer, he said that, “…many content producers have had their income reduced to zero, have moved on to other jobs, or have been forced to sell their equipment to survive.”