Iran's Internet Is Back, But It's Not the Same

By Dannielle Maguire

Topic: Internet

Thu 28 May 2026 at 4:47am

Experts say Iran's internet is only partly working again.

Most Iranians have not had international internet since the war started.

The whole country has been disconnected from the world for almost three months.

On Monday, Iran's President ordered international internet access to be reopened.

There are reports of more internet traffic, but experts say Iran has a long way to go.

How long was Iran's internet blackout?

The blackout lasted 87 days.

It started on February 28 when the US began strikes in Iran.

A group that watches internet use reported a 'partial restoration' on May 26.

This group called it the 'longest nationwide internet shutdown in modern history'.

Only a 'partial restoration' of internet

A big step was taken to relax the world's biggest communications blackout, but Iranians still face challenges.

Iran's internet traffic is not back to normal yet.

Traffic peaked at just 39% of the levels seen before the previous crackdown.

Iran's internet traffic has not returned to pre-January levels.

We're still not seeing traffic levels at pre-January 8 levels.

The current traffic levels are like those seen during a period of partial restoration.

Many Iranians lack internet access, and for those who do, it is slow and many things remain inaccessible.

A human rights group director urged caution.

We are still in an internet shutdown.

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What happened with the first blackout?

The first blackout happened amid anti-government protests.

Iranian Australians with family in Iran are concerned for their loved ones.

After 10 days, the shutdown began to ease and Iran's internet entered a new phase.

During that phase, connectivity was limited and unstable.

Internet traffic didn't get back up to the levels it had been at before the crackdown.

It continued like this until February 28, when Iranians were plunged into another internet shutdown.

Protesters march in downtown Tehran in December.

Not everyone was cut off

Most Iranians couldn't access the international internet, but some key figures still could.

On March 10, the Iranian government said the internet was being restored to 'those who can broadcast the country's voice to the world'.

Select individuals and organisations were permitted to remain connected to the outside world during the shutdown.

Some service continued for privileged users and important businesses.

The government authorised the telecoms to begin offering an Internet Pro service.

This controlled internet system allowed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to be interviewed by Margaret Brennan.

Brennan asked Araghchi why he had open internet access while the Iranian people did not.

Araghchi said it was because he was the voice of Iranians and had to defend their right.

Araghchi said the internet was closed due to security reasons and the need to protect the people.

Critics of the 'whitelist'

This system has many critics.

Iran Human Rights Monitor called it 'digital apartheid'.

The primary goal of this blocking is to stifle the voice of civil society.

NetBlocks has also been vocal against it on social media.

The measure is built on a class-based tiered system where the select few are granted access while the general public is silenced.

Is this the new normal?

Last month, Mr Madory posed questions about whether this tiered system could become permanent.

If they poke enough holes in the digital curtain for those who express political loyalty and have economic status, it could become a new normal.

The slow but steady increase in traffic to Iran in recent weeks may be evidence of this new reality taking shape.

Now that the internet blackout is supposedly being lifted, many will be watching to see if traffic returns to pre-shutdown levels.

We need to see whether it returns to previous levels or stabilises at this new low.

Don't rush to conclusions.

Thu 28 May 2026 at 4:47am

Thu 28 May 2026 at 8:15am

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