Current Situation in Iran After 3 Months of Total Paralysis - Residents Cut Off

Iran has started to relax internet restrictions after almost three months of blocking that made it difficult for residents to communicate and disrupted economic activities. The country’s highest security authority approved a temporary scheme called Internet Pro, which allows business actors to access the global internet with lighter restrictions. Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said this policy was taken to maintain business continuity during the crisis period. “The Supreme National Security Council approved the Internet Pro scheme to maintain business continuity during the crisis,” she told Iranian media, quoted from Reuters, Wednesday (2/4/2026). She emphasised that the policy is temporary and will be adjusted once conditions are declared normal. “Once the situation is declared normal by the relevant authorities, the internet conditions will also change,” she said. Mohajerani also stressed that the government considers internet access as a civil right. The internet blackout in Iran has been ongoing since early January following nationwide anti-government protests. Connectivity was briefly restored in February but was cut off again after the start of attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran on 28 February. According to monitoring agency NetBlocks, most Iranian residents have been unable to access the global internet for about the last 60 days. Only a small portion could use expensive VPNs to bypass restrictions. Under normal conditions, Iran already implements strict censorship on many global sites. The government also relies on a domestic intranet for public services, including the education system which is currently running online. However, these prolonged restrictions have triggered economic pressure. Internet disruptions are estimated to cause daily losses of US$30 million to US$40 million directly, and up to US$80 million if including indirect impacts, according to Afshin Kolahi from the Iranian Chamber of Commerce. The disconnection has also had a broad impact on the labour market. Many residents have lost jobs since the war began, while prices have surged due to damage to factories, energy infrastructure, and transportation networks. The internet blackout has not only hit the digital economy but also other sectors that rely on online activities. Freelancers and small businesses have been the most affected groups because their income heavily depends on connectivity.