Iran turns internet back on, but old restrictions remain

Internet access in Iran was partially restored earlier this week after an 88-day blackout. Real-time data from NetBlocks, a global internet monitor based in London, and the IT company Cloudflare show a significant increase in web traffic compared to recent weeks.

"Web traffic is still lower than it was before January. Back then, it was around 50%," said cybersecurity expert Amir Rashidi.

Rashidi is the director of the Miaan Group, a US-based organization that advocates for human rights, digital freedom, and social justice in Iran and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

He points out that the internet in Iran has been severely disrupted since the deadly crackdown on nationwide demonstrations in January. During the unrest, authorities significantly throttled internet access to disrupt communication both within the country and with the outside world..

Iran experienced the longest nationwide internet shutdown in recent history following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran launched on February 28. Authorities cite security reasons for the measure. Critics, however, point out that this method has been used for years to control access to information and communication.

"The goal now seems to be to ensure that the internet functions in principle, but that data traffic is specifically manipulated," said Rashidi. "The connection is supposed to remain intact, but normal and unrestricted use is made difficult, so that hardly any data can leave the country and information about the war and protests cannot be freely disseminated."

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Iran makes internet access exclusive

On Monday, according to Iranian sources, President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the restoration of internet access.

Prior to this, a crisis management team led by his vice president, Mohammad Reza Aref, had been established to reduce the "multiplicity of voices" and overlapping responsibilities in Iran's internet policy.

In Iran, several agencies, including the National Security Council and the Supreme Council for Cyberspace, are involved in decisions regarding digital control.

During the internet blockade, for example, the National Security Council approved a plan to grant certain groups access to the so-called "Internet Pro" in exchange for payment. This offer is aimed at groups like members of the Chamber of Commerce, start-ups, technology companies, and vetted merchants, among others. 

"The 'pro-internet' policy appears to be continuing," said cybersecurity expert Rashidi. "We know that certain groups continue to receive promotional and informational messages encouraging them to purchase specific packages."

In addition to social consequences, the internet blackout had significant economic repercussions, particularly for small businesses, including numerous women-led online ventures that were destroyed by the blackout.

"Many women from small towns and villages used the internet to sell products such as dried fruit, handmade clothing, or food," said Solmaz Eikder from Filterbaan, also known as Filterwatch, an Iranian digital rights organization that monitors internet censorship, digital repression and surveillance in Iran. 

Her work focuses on internet censorship, digital repression, and surveillance in Iran. "This income was essential for many families—but this opportunity has now been taken away from them," she told DW last week.

Monitoring communication

Millions of people in Iran remain cut off from the digital economy and communication. Apps like WhatsApp, which play a vital role in communication within the country and with the outside world, are still not working, even with VPN connections, several sources have confirmed to DW.

Iran's internet is subject to strict censorship even in peacetime. Many websites and apps are blocked. To use social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, expensive local VPN services are part of daily life for the majority of users.

VPNs, or virtual private networks, create an encrypted connection between a device and a server abroad, which provides access to the open internet.

The only remaining means of communication is, in some cases, the telephone landline network. Before a connection is established, an automated message plays, providing a code. The connection is only established after this code is entered. There are suspicions that calls are being monitored during this process.

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This article was originally written in German