80 Days Offline: Internet Access in Iran Becomes a Luxury

The Internet in Iran has been cut off since the United States and Israel launched an attack against the country on 28 February. “Internet Pro” is not an enhancement of internet service technically; it is a special internet access that allows users to bypass the blockade. According to journalist and internet researcher Solmaz Eikder, major platforms such as Instagram, X, and YouTube, which have long been blocked in Iran, remain unusable even for many Internet Pro users without a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Eikder has been living in exile in Europe for five years. She works for Filterbaan, also known as Filterwatch, a digital rights organisation in Iran that monitors internet censorship, digital repression, and surveillance in Iran. The organisation’s findings are frequently used by journalists, activists, and researchers studying digital repression in Iran.

The longest internet shutdown in Iran’s history

The current shutdown, which has lasted more than 80 days, is the longest in Iran’s history, though not the first time. For years, Iranian security forces have used this method to disrupt communication among Iranians and sever their ties with the outside world. This last occurred during nationwide protests in January, brutally suppressed by the regime. Millions are now once again cut off from the digital economy and from communication.

According to government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani, “Internet Pro” is intended to “prevent disruptions to economic activity and ensure business communication continues during the crisis.”

What is ‘Internet Pro’?

The service is offered to select professional groups, such as members of the Chamber of Commerce, startups, technology companies, and retailers. They receive an initial package of 50 gigabytes of data for a cost equivalent to about 11 US dollars (around Rp195,000).

“That is a lot of money in Iran,” said Eikder. Since the war began, many households have faced increasing economic pressures. Inflation has risen by more than 50% and the rial has plunged, causing sharp increases in the prices of essential goods.

Industrial facilities destroyed and massive production losses have also plagued the economy. Tens of thousands of jobs have been lost.

Moreover, millions of people reliant on small-scale income have lost their livelihoods due to the internet blockade.

“Many women from small towns and villages sell products such as dried fruit, handmade clothing, or food online,” said Eikder. “These incomes play an important role for their families, but those opportunities have now disappeared.”

Internet access has become a luxury in Iran

Across Iran there is broad criticism of the policy. Shargh newspaper and several other media outlets criticised the launch of “Internet Pro” for turning access to communication and information from a public and civil right into a privilege. Women who are the primary breadwinners for their families and who previously earned income online, as well as students, are not among those eligible to access “Internet Pro.”

A 19-year-old engineering student told DW on condition of anonymity that he was not yet sure he would accept the offer of “Internet Pro” access.

Each user is identified by a national identity number and the registered phone number. The female student said she still buys VPNs on the black market to access the internet. However, many of her friends and acquaintances can no longer afford VPNs, she said.

“It has become very difficult for Iranian society to access independent news and reliable information,” said Oliver Linow, an internet freedom specialist at DW, who has been blocked in Iran since 2009.

“Since then, we have provided tools to bypass censorship so that people in the country can continue to access independent journalism. However, these tools are often not effective when there is an almost total internet blackout,” Linow added.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has in the past weeks promised that internet services would be restored soon.

In Iran, a number of bodies, from the National Security Council to the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, have been involved in decision-making related to the state’s approach to digital control.

A new crisis management team led by Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has reportedly been formed to resolve “the many voices” and overlapping powers in Iran’s internet policy.

However, the meaning of the move remains unclear. According to Sharq newspaper, government officials have been explicitly barred from publicly detailing the new body’s responsibilities, or discussing them with the media.

This article originally appeared in German

Adapted from English by Rahka Susanto

(ita/ita)