Iran expands tiered internet access amid continued online blackout
Summary
Iran has been blocking most internet access for over 11 weeks due to security concerns related to its conflict with the United States and Israel. The government created a new body to manage internet policies and offers limited, expensive internet services to approved users, but most citizens remain cut off from the global internet.Key Facts
- Iran’s internet has been mostly shut down for more than 11 weeks, the longest in the world.
- The shutdown started after Iran’s conflict with the U.S. and Israel escalated on February 28.
- The government created the Specialised Headquarters for Organising and Guiding Iran’s Cyberspace to oversee internet policy changes.
- First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, considered a relative moderate, leads this new internet management body.
- A limited internet service called “Internet Pro” is available to certain approved groups at high prices.
- Access to global platforms like YouTube is blocked; only some apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, and ChatGPT are allowed on “Internet Pro.”
- VPNs and private satellite internet (like Starlink) are blocked or hard to access.
- Officials say the shutdown is temporary and linked to ongoing conflict but have not given a timeline for restoring full internet access.
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