Internet service in Iran will return soon after a two-week outage
Behzad Akbari, CEO of Iran's Telecommunications Infrastructure Company, announced on Saturday that internet service , which has been blocked across the country for more than two weeks, would be restored "today or tomorrow," according to the Iranian news agency Fars. This announcement comes after a period of digital blackout imposed by authorities amid widespread protests.
Decision of the Supreme National Security Council
Reports indicate that Iran's Supreme National Security Council approved a decision to restore internet service late Friday and instructed the Ministry of Communications to begin implementation. The agency quoted Akbari as confirming that the issue would be resolved within the next few hours. Despite these assurances, NetBlocks, an organization specializing in monitoring network security and internet freedom, observed a brief restoration of connectivity before service was disrupted again approximately 30 minutes later. Officials at the Ministry of Communications attributed the disruption to "technical complexities" requiring time to resolve.
Background of the protests and censorship policy
Iranian authorities resorted to a near-total internet blackout starting January 8th as a security measure to control the flow of information as protests that erupted in late December intensified. Internet shutdowns are a recurring tactic employed by Tehran during periods of internal unrest to prevent protesters from organizing or sharing videos documenting events with the outside world, effectively imposing a form of digital isolation on the country.
Conflicting figures regarding the victims
Amid a media and digital blackout, security forces launched a widespread crackdown against protesters. International human rights organizations have documented the deaths of thousands, with some unofficial estimates suggesting the total death toll could exceed 25,000. In contrast, Iranian authorities announced on Wednesday their first official death toll of 3,117, stating that the vast majority (2,427) were security personnel or bystanders, and denying responsibility for the killing of protesters, whom they labeled "rioters.".
Internal criticism and warnings of a widening gap
The objections to the internet blackout weren't limited to international bodies; they extended to those close to the decision-making circles. Yousef Pezeshkian, son of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, called for the immediate restoration of internet service. In a message published via Telegram and carried by the official IRNA news agency, he stated that the continued internet blackout would "widen the gap between the people and the government," warning that this measure would add new segments of society to the ranks of those dissatisfied with the situation. He emphasized that the blackout "will not solve anything, but will only postpone the problem.".
