On May 25, 2026, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a direct order to the Ministry of Communications to restore international internet access, signaling an end to one of the longest and most severe national-scale internet blackouts in modern history. The shutdown, which has now reached 87 consecutive days according to NetBlocks, has severed approximately 90 million citizens from the global digital sphere, inflicted billions of dollars in economic losses, and exposed deep fractures within Iran’s power structure. While the presidential decree represents a formal step toward reconnection, the command’s effectiveness remains uncertain, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has already moved to challenge the president’s authority over the decision.
The 87-Day Blackout: A Timeline of Escalation
The internet shutdown did not happen overnight. It unfolded in three distinct phases, each deepening the isolation of the Iranian population and widening the gap between those with access and those without.
Phase One: The Crackdown on Protests
The initial trigger was a wave of anti-government demonstrations that erupted across all 31 provinces in late December 2025. Citizens took to the streets to protest the rapid devaluation of the rial and soaring living costs. In response, the authorities moved to sever international internet connectivity on January 8, 2026, aiming to prevent the organization of protest activities and to block the flow of information to the outside world. Within hours, connectivity dropped to between 1 and 2 percent of normal levels.
Phase Two: Partial Relaxation and Renewed Conflict
By late January, the regime partially restored SMS services and briefly reinstated international connections for a mere 30 minutes before cutting them off again. The short-lived reopening raised hopes among citizens and businesses, only to be crushed by the swift return of the digital siege. Then, on February 28, the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. The attack prompted the regime to impose a complete blackout once more, plunging the country back into total isolation.
Phase Three: The Longest National Blackout in History
From February 28 onward, connectivity remained locked at 1 to 2 percent of normal levels for 87 consecutive days. NetBlocks confirmed that this period constitutes the longest national-scale internet shutdown ever recorded. Only a small minority of citizens who could afford expensive VPNs or smuggled Starlink terminals managed to maintain any connection to the outside world. The vast majority were completely cut off from global information channels for nearly three months.
Economic Devastation: Billions in Losses
The economic toll of the 87-day blackout is staggering. According to NetBlocks, the direct economic damage had already reached approximately 2.6 billion USD (roughly 410 billion yen) by day 73. Daily direct losses are estimated at between 30 and 40 million USD, while indirect losses, including disrupted banking transfers, supply chain breakdowns, and halted e-commerce, push the daily figure to as high as 250 million USD per day.
The Minister of Communications himself acknowledged the economic cost, estimating daily losses at 35.7 million USD. The damage extends far beyond the digital economy. Banks cannot process transfers, enterprises cannot place or receive orders, and the entire industrial sector is contracting. The job market has been hit exceptionally hard: according to reports, approximately 1 million jobs have been directly lost, with indirect effects affecting up to 3 million people. On a single day, the Iranian job platform recorded 318,000 resume submissions as freelancers and online workers lost their primary source of income.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct economic loss | 2.6 billion USD | 73 days | NetBlocks |
| Daily direct loss | 30-40 million USD | Per day | Multiple analyses |
| Daily total loss (incl. indirect) | 250 million USD | Per day | Economic estimates |
| Minister-confirmed daily loss | 35.7 million USD | Per day | Communications Minister |
| Direct jobs lost | 1 million | 87 days | Labor platform data |
| Total affected workers (direct + indirect) | 3 million | 87 days | Extended estimates |
The financial hemorrhage is not limited to digital business. Traditional industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and agriculture rely on internet connectivity for supply chain coordination. With international links severed, exporters cannot access foreign markets, importers cannot clear goods, and the entire commercial ecosystem grinds to a halt.
The Two-Tier System: Internet Pro and Digital Apartheid
Throughout the blackout, a deeply unequal digital landscape emerged. In February, the Supreme National Security Council approved a program called “Internet Pro,” creating a two-tier internet system. Government officials, military personnel, and approved journalists were granted unrestricted international internet access, while ordinary citizens remained locked out. President Pezeshkian’s administration had previously condemned this system as “unfair” and lacking legal justification. The restoration order is widely seen as a direct challenge to this discriminatory framework.
How Internet Pro Worked
Under the Internet Pro regime, a select few could access the open web, use social media, and conduct international business, while the vast majority were confined to a heavily restricted national intranet. This digital apartheid has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups, who argue that it entrenches inequality and denies ordinary Iranians the right to information and economic participation. The president’s order to restore international access for all citizens represents a fundamental rejection of this tiered system.
The Power Struggle: President Versus IRGC
The presidential order has immediately become a flashpoint in the ongoing power struggle between the elected government and the IRGC. On May 25, shortly after Pezeshkian issued the directive, IRGC-affiliated media outlets began to push back, arguing that the decision to impose the blackout was made by the Supreme National Security Council and that only the same council could lift it. The message was clear: the president does not have the authority to override the security apparatus on this matter.
This confrontation is part of a broader pattern of tension between Pezeshkian’s administration and the IRGC. In April, the IRGC effectively blocked the president’s personnel authority, reportedly surrounding Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei with a “security cordon” of military officers. The internet shutdown has become a proxy battlefield for a deeper constitutional crisis: who truly controls Iran’s sovereignty over communications and information?
Despite the pushback, there are signs of a possible resolution. The fourth meeting of the Cyber Space Management Task Force reportedly voted 9 to 3 in favor of restoring international internet access. The semi-official ISNA news agency suggested that implementation could begin on May 26. Even IRGC-affiliated media appear to be softening their initial stance, signaling a potential behind-the-scenes compromise.
Human Cost and Civil Liberties
Beyond the economic and political dimensions, the human toll of the 87-day blackout is immense. Human rights organizations have documented thousands of deaths during the protest crackdown that occurred under the cover of the internet shutdown. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights Association has suggested that the final death toll could exceed 25,000 people. Without international connectivity, families could not contact loved ones, independent journalists could not report abuses, and the world remained largely blind to the scale of the violence.
The restoration order, if fully implemented, would restore a fundamental civil liberty that has been denied to nearly 90 million people for 87 days. However, the memory of the blackout will not fade quickly. The regime repeatedly promised to restore access throughout the shutdown. On January 25, the head of one of Iran’s major internet infrastructure companies declared that the issue would be resolved “today or tomorrow”. Connectivity was restored for exactly 30 minutes and then cut again. This pattern of broken promises has deeply eroded trust in any government commitment.
Uncertain Path to Full Restoration
Even with the presidential order and the task force vote, the path to full restoration remains uncertain. The question is no longer whether the order has been given, but when and how it will be implemented. The IRGC controls much of Iran’s telecommunications infrastructure, and its cooperation is essential for any technical restoration. The president may have issued the command, but the IRGC has the power to delay, limit, or sabotage its execution.
International observers are watching closely. The 87-day blackout has damaged Iran’s reputation as a digital economy and further isolated it from global financial and technological systems. Even if full connectivity is restored, the damage to trust, to business relationships, and to the lives of millions will take years to repair. The digital scars left by the longest national internet shutdown in history will not be erased by a single decree.
The order to restore international internet access marks a critical inflection point for Iran, but it is only the beginning of a long and uncertain process. The 87-day blackout has stripped away any illusion that Iran’s internet governance is a purely technical matter. It is a deeply political issue, entangled with questions of power, authority, and the basic rights of citizens. The president’s command has been issued. The task force has voted. But whether the IRGC will allow the restoration to happen fully, and whether the regime can regain the trust it has shattered, remains an open question. For the millions of Iranians who have been cut off from the world for nearly three months, the hope of reconnection is real, but so is the memory of every broken promise along the way.
