Iran's president has ordered the reopening of international internet access following a wartime blackout that severed global connectivity across the country [1].
The move signals a return to normalcy after months of digital isolation. Restoring access is a critical step in stabilizing the nation's infrastructure and communication following a period of intense conflict with the U.S. and Israel [2].
State media reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian issued the decree to bring connectivity back to the levels seen before January [1, 2]. The blackout began in late January 2026 and lasted for nearly 90 days [1]. Some reports describe the outage as lasting more than two months [3], making it the longest internet blackout on record for the country [3].
An official serving as the head of public relations for Iran’s Communications Ministry said the decree aimed at restoring internet access to its pre-January state [1]. The restoration follows a cease-fire announcement between Iran and the U.S. on April 8, 2026 [4].
During the blackout, the Iranian government restricted access to the global web, forcing many citizens to rely on VPNs, or local networks, to communicate. The decision to reopen the gateways follows the end of the wartime restrictions that had been in place since the start of the year [2, 3].
Reuters reported that the president ordered the reopening of international internet access, according to state media [2]. The move is intended to reverse the digital blackout that isolated the Islamic Republic of Iran from the global community during the height of the regional conflict [1, 3].
“The decree aimed at restoring internet access to its pre‑January state.”
The restoration of internet access serves as a tangible indicator of the de-escalation between Iran, the U.S., and Israel. By removing wartime digital restrictions, the Iranian government is transitioning from a state of emergency back to a standard regulatory environment, though the long duration of the blackout highlights the state's ability to completely sever the population's link to the outside world during crises.
