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Iran restores global internet access after months of restrictions

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

A view of streets as daily life continues amid fragile ceasefire in Tehran, Iran on May 12, 2026, as geopolitical tensions rise following recent statements from the United States. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Iran has restored international internet access following months of restrictions imposed after nationwide protests in January and later intensified during the war with the US and Israel, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency on Tuesday, Anadolu reports.

Tasnim reported that the process of lifting restrictions had begun following an order by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to return internet access to conditions that existed before January 2026.

According to the report, users once again have access to international websites, while fixed broadband services, including FTTH, VDSL and ADSL, as well as mobile internet services, are now available without restrictions.

Iran had imposed a near-total internet shutdown during protests on Jan. 8 and 9, severely disrupting both domestic and international connectivity across the country.

Nationwide protests erupted in late December and escalated in January following a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial against US dollar amid mounting economic pressure.

Authorities imposed broad internet restrictions and temporary nationwide shutdowns during the unrest in an effort to curb communications and the spread of protest-related content.

READ: Iran demands release of $12 billion in frozen assets in potential deal with US

In the weeks that followed, internet services gradually began returning before restrictions intensified again after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

During the conflict, domestic internet services and local platforms were later restored, but access to the global internet largely remained dependent on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

Major global platforms including YouTube and X remain blocked in Iran, with many users continuing to rely on VPN services to access them.

Iranian officials said 3,117 people were killed in the protests, while some human rights organizations estimated the death toll at up to 7,000.

Iranian authorities have acknowledged public discontent but accused the US and Israel of attempting to exploit the unrest through sanctions and pressure aimed at inciting instability and justifying foreign interference and regime change.

Experts had previously described the measures not as a complete shutdown of all internet infrastructure, but as restrictions specifically targeting access to the global internet, while domestic services, including banking systems and local platforms, remained operational.

The restrictions significantly affected businesses, online commerce and communication with the outside world, while access to international platforms became increasingly limited and unstable for ordinary users.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

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