Iran restores partial internet access after record months-long blackout

The shutdown was imposed after US and Israeli air strikes on Iranian leaders and infrastructure began in February

Iran started restoring access to the internet – a sign that the longest shutdown of its kind in history is easing amid a diplomatic push to end the war with the US.

Monitoring group NetBlocks said there was a “partial restoration” on Tuesday after 88 days of near-total blackout on the national network, showing connectivity had risen from close to zero to around 35 per cent of typical levels.

“In line with the esteemed President’s mission and in fulfilment of the government’s promise, the first step toward free and regulated access to cyberspace has been taken,” First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref, who chairs the government’s Special Task Force for the Regulation and Governance of Cyberspace, said on social media.

The body had voted on Monday to restore access to pre-January 2026 levels, but it had been unclear whether its decision would be implemented after a court suspended the task force hours later, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Iran’s civilian officials have repeatedly called for restrictions, which have crippled businesses across the country, to be eased, but have been overruled by the country’s powerful security establishment.

The development coincides with diplomatic efforts by Tehran and Washington towards a deal aimed at ending their conflict, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Iranians and triggered an energy shock that disrupted the global economy.