TEHRAN — Iranian authorities restored internet access on Wednesday, ending a months-long shutdown that began during anti-government protests in January 2026 and intensified after U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026. The government had justified the blackout as a military necessity following the attacks, which killed Iran’s supreme leader and other senior officials.

Internet service returned in some areas but remained slow and spotty, according to users and monitoring firms. Netblocks reported national connectivity at about 86% of pre-cutoff levels, while Kentik measured traffic at roughly 40% of normal. Apps like YouTube and Instagram stayed heavily restricted, consistent with Iran’s long-standing controls on social media platforms.

The decision to ease restrictions coincided with progress in truce negotiations, though many Iranians remained wary. “It's too early to say the shutdown is over,” wrote Amir Rashidi, an Iranian cybersecurity analyst, on X. Residents expressed concern that access could be revoked again without warning, recalling how the initial January cutoff—imposed during mass protests—was followed by a total blackout after the February strikes.

Economic fallout from the shutdown was severe. Young people with online livelihoods saw incomes vanish, and many content creators lost audiences built over years. Mobile data prices in Tehran dropped from $7.50 per gigabyte during the blackout to $2.25 for 30 gigabytes after restoration, returning to pre-protest levels. Businesses have started reappearing online, posting updates on Instagram and Telegram. Afshin Kolahi, a member of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, told a local newspaper the internet cutoff cost an estimated $30–40 million daily, with indirect losses likely double that.

Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi stated that about 10 million Iranians rely on internet connectivity for work. During the shutdown, most citizens were limited to a censored national intranet, while senior officials retained global access via special SIM cards—a privilege later extended to select professions under public pressure.