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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reportedly ordered the Ministry of Communications to restore international internet access to its pre-January status.
The blackout began after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to impose sweeping internet restrictions. (AI-generated photo)
Imagine life without the internet. No doomscrolling, no endless notifications, no compulsive urge to pick up the phone every few minutes. Older generations may remember such a world, but for Gen-Z, it feels almost unimaginable. Yet for 87 days, millions of Iranians lived through exactly that — disconnected from much of the global internet during one of the country’s harshest digital crackdowns in recent years.
Now, that blackout may finally be nearing an end.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reportedly ordered the Ministry of Communications to restore international internet access to its pre-January status, according to Iranian media reports. The move comes as diplomatic negotiations continue over a possible truce in the ongoing West Asia conflict.
However, the situation remains politically complicated. IRGC-affiliated Fars News earlier questioned whether the administration even has the authority to reverse the restrictions, arguing that the shutdown was imposed by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and therefore can only be lifted by the same body.
The blackout began after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to impose sweeping internet restrictions. During the shutdown, global internet traffic from the country reportedly collapsed, forcing citizens almost entirely onto domestic networks controlled by the state.
But even if internet access is restored, Iran’s digital ecosystem remains heavily restricted. Unlike users in countries such as India or the United States, ordinary Iranians still cannot freely access platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, Signal or X without bypass tools.
Iran’s Internet Blackout Model: Inspired By China
Iran’s internet restrictions are often compared to China’s “Great Firewall”, though experts say the two systems are not identical.
Tehran has borrowed heavily from Beijing’s “cyber sovereignty” model, using surveillance systems and network infrastructure reportedly sourced from Chinese technology firms. However, unlike China — which spent decades building an advanced and relatively seamless digital ecosystem — Iran constructed its digital barriers much later and under sanctions pressure.
The result is a more fragmented but often more aggressive system, especially during periods of political unrest or geopolitical conflict.
What Is Blocked In Iran?
Without a VPN or similar workaround, large parts of the global internet remain inaccessible inside Iran. Iranian authorities have permanently blocked thousands of websites and online services as part of the country’s tightly controlled internet system.
The restrictions cover major social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Reddit and Threads, along with messaging services including Discord and Facebook Messenger.
Popular entertainment and streaming platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, Spotify and Twitch are also heavily restricted or entirely blocked. International news outlets also remain inaccessible for many users inside the country.
Iranian authorities maintain that these restrictions are necessary to protect national security and preserve social stability. Critics, however, argue the measures are aimed at tightening censorship, controlling narratives and limiting citizens’ access to independent information.
The Internet Iranians Actually Use
Instead of the open global web, most users are redirected toward Iran’s National Information Network (NIN), a state-controlled domestic intranet designed to function independently of the wider internet.
Within this system, the government promotes domestic alternatives to Western platforms. Instead of YouTube, many users rely on Aparat, a state-monitored local video-sharing service. Messaging and social networking are pushed toward state-approved apps such as Rubika, Eitaa and Soroush.
Essential services remain operational even during internet shutdowns. Banking applications, government portals, e-commerce websites and ride-hailing services like Snapp continue functioning through the domestic network.
Reports also suggest Iran is increasingly moving toward a tiered internet system. Under this model, trusted elites, state journalists and selected officials receive relatively unrestricted access through so-called “White SIM cards”, while ordinary citizens are limited to a slower, heavily filtered whitelist of approved websites.
During protests or military escalations, authorities can activate a national “kill switch”, reducing global internet traffic by nearly 98% while keeping domestic systems online.
How Iranians Bypass Restrictions
In Iran, using a VPN is no longer just a tech workaround — it has become an everyday necessity.
According to digital security researchers and investigative reports, nearly 80% of Iranians rely on VPNs to access global websites, research material and banned social media platforms. But as the government shifts from basic filtering toward a stricter “whitelist” internet model, traditional VPN services are becoming increasingly unreliable.
To bypass Iran’s advanced censorship systems, many citizens now depend on expensive custom VPN configurations that use stealth technologies designed to mimic ordinary domestic traffic and evade state monitoring systems.
This digital cat-and-mouse battle has created a booming underground VPN market. For many Iranian families, maintaining even limited access to the outside world now costs several times more than a standard internet connection — often for slow, unstable and heavily throttled access.
Iran has intensified efforts to block VPNs using Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technology and has cracked down on alternatives such as smuggled Starlink satellite terminals.
For millions of Iranians, the internet today is no longer a free gateway to the world, but a tightly monitored digital ecosystem where access itself has become a privilege.
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