Iran President Orders Internet Restoration After 90-Day Blackout

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the restoration of international internet access following a near 90-day blackout that became one of the longest nationwide internet shutdowns in history, Iranian state media reported on Monday, citing the head of public relations at the Communications Ministry.

The Cyber Space Steering and Organising Headquarters held a meeting chaired by First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref, where the restoration of internet access to pre-January 2026 levels was approved.

The decision has been forwarded to the president for final endorsement before implementation by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology.

The blackout began on January 8, 2026, amid nationwide protests, when authorities imposed sweeping internet restrictions that cut off Tehran and several other cities, including Isfahan, Shiraz, and Kermanshah, from global connectivity.

Cybersecurity analysts said even Iran’s National Information Network was fully disconnected at the peak of the shutdown.

Access to the global internet later dropped sharply following United States and Israeli strikes on February 28, with widespread disruptions leaving many civilians dependent on limited domestic networks or, where available, VPNs and Starlink terminals that authorities sought to block.

The shutdown has been estimated to have cost the Iranian economy more than $1bn, with the Communications Minister acknowledging losses of about $35.7m per day as businesses, online services, and communications were disrupted.

Pezeshkian announced the restoration plan on X, saying he had instructed Aref to oversee implementation while considering “governance sensitivities, the Supreme Leader’s views, and the promise I made to the people,” referring to his campaign pledge to ease internet restrictions.

The move has been met with scepticism, as similar promises during earlier shutdowns went unfulfilled.

Reformist newspaper Shargh reported that the committee is expected to restore broader access within a month, though full details of the rollout remain unclear.