President Pezeshkian Partially Restores Iran's Internet After 88-Day Blackout

President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the restoration of international internet access in late May 2026, ending a near-total nationwide blackout that lasted 88 days. The shutdown began on February 28 following military strikes by the United States and Israel that killed Iran's supreme leader, though partial restrictions had already been in place since January 8 to suppress anti-government protests. The government justified the blackout as a military imperative to prevent cyberattacks and espionage.

During the outage, the state implemented a tiered system, including "Internet Pro" and "white SIM cards," which granted regime loyalists and select professionals access while restricting the general population to a state-controlled intranet. This period caused severe economic damage, with daily losses estimated between $30 million and $80 million, impacting approximately 10 million internet-dependent workers. Activists countered the blackout by smuggling an estimated 50,000 Starlink terminals into the country.

Connectivity recovered to approximately 86% of pre-cutoff capacity by late May, though actual traffic remained at 40%. Users reported that major platforms like WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram remained blocked. The restoration coincided with the upload of viral videos documenting protests and executions. The move occurred as the United States and Iran engaged in indirect peace negotiations mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, with President Donald Trump stating a war-ending agreement was largely negotiated. However, hardliners within the Supreme National Cybersecurity Council attempted to block the restoration through the Administrative Court of Justice.