PARIS: Iranian authorities partially restored internet connectivity on Tuesday after an almost three-month shutdown imposedaftertheUS-Israel invasion on Feb 28.
The shutdown left Iranians largely cut off from international networks, with only a domestic intranet working for daily tasl(s like shopping, ridehailing and education.
‘Live metrics show a partial restoration to internet connectivity in Iran on day 88,’ of the shutdown, monitor NetBlocks said on X, saying it was ‘unclear’ if this meant a permanent end to the ‘longest nationwide internet shutdown in modern history’ Earlier during the day, Iran’s judiciary suspended a fledging presidentialbodythathad orderedrestoration of the internet.
The Special Headquarters for Organising and Governing the Country’s Cyberspace was formed on May 12 by Pezeshkian.
The body had on Monday reached a decision to ‘restore the internet’, according to government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani, after local media reported that Pezeshl(ian had decreed the measure.
Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said in a post on X that the ‘first step toward free and regulated access to cyberspace has been taken’, adding that the demands of Iranians ‘will be fulfilled’ State news agency IRNA and Fars news agency said ‘full international internet connectivity has been restored’ for users of ñxed broadband services, but this had not been confirmed by internet monitor NetBlocks.
Witnesses inside Iran said mobile internetremains cut, but home internet with Wi-Fi had been restored, even though VPNs were still needed to access some social media.
‘A few minutes ago I could open international websites using my home internet provider,’ said a 22-year-old woman from the western city of Kermanshah.
A user in Tehran said the internet service for his company has been restored, but ‘mobile connection remained the same’ without any access.
Others reported that general access remained extremely patchy.
Closure in January The shutdown imposed three months ago followed a similar blacl(out imposed on Jan 8 after the country was rocl(ed by mass antigovernment protests.
Activists said that the January closure was aimed at masl(ing the scale of a crackdown on the protests, as well as preventing more demonstrations.-AFP