Trending Now - Iranians Celebrate Internet Restoration Amid Ongoing Restrictions
WHO:
ABC News - Iran's roughly 90 million people have been cut off from the internet for most of 2026.
ABC News - Amir Rashidi, an Iranian cybersecurity analyst, commented on the internet situation.
ABC News - Afshin Kolahi, a member of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, provided estimates on economic losses.
ABC News - Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi stated that about 10 million people have jobs that depend on internet connectivity.
WHAT:
ABC News - Internet access in Iran is reported to be at around 86% of capacity from before the cutoff, while internet traffic is at around 40% of pre-cutoff levels.
BBC - The partial return of internet access is described as limited, with access remaining heavily filtered and unstable connections.
Iran International - Internet access has recovered to slightly more than 60% of normal levels, indicating ongoing restrictions.
ABC News - Authorities ended a monthslong internet shutdown in Iran.
ABC News - Internet connectivity in Iran is at around 86% of capacity from before the cutoff, according to Netblocks.
ABC News - Internet traffic is at around 40% of pre-cutoff levels, as reported by Kentik.
ABC News - Prices for internet access spiked during the shutdown, with residents in Tehran paying around $7.50 per gigabyte at times, now reduced to around $2.25 for 30 gigabytes.
ABC News - The internet cutoff cost an estimated $30-40 million daily, with indirect losses likely twice that amount.
WHERE:
ABC News - The internet shutdown affected Iran, particularly in cities like Tehran and Isfahan.
WHEN:
ABC News - The internet was first shut down in January during mass anti-government protests.
ABC News - The complete internet blackout was imposed after U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28.
WHY:
Iran International - A "special headquarters" was set up under First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref to determine how and when broader access to the global internet should resume after wartime restrictions.
ABC News - Authorities justified the internet outage as a military imperative following attacks by the United States and Israel.
ABC News - The government faced criticism for the prolonged shutdown, which harmed the economy.
HOW:
BBC - The government moved ahead with reconnection despite a legal complaint from hardline members of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, which sought to halt the implementation of the decision to restore internet access.
ABC News - Many Iranians relied on virtual private networks (VPNs) to access restricted sites during the shutdown.
ABC News - Senior government officials were given SIM cards granting them access to the global internet, which was expanded to some professions during the shutdown.
(UPDATED May 28, 2026 01:34 UTC)
Internet access in Iran has partially returned, now operating at around 86% of its pre-cutoff capacity, although traffic remains limited at about 40% of normal levels. The government has established a "special headquarters" led by First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref to oversee the gradual restoration of broader internet access after wartime restrictions, despite facing legal challenges from hardline members of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace. While access is described as heavily filtered and unstable, reports indicate that it has recovered to slightly more than 60% of normal levels.
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(UPDATED May 27, 2026 19:48 UTC)
Iran has recently ended a months-long internet shutdown that had left its roughly 90 million citizens largely disconnected since January, with internet connectivity now at about 86% of its pre-cutoff capacity. During the blackout, which was implemented following military actions by the U.S. and Israel, the economic toll was significant, with losses estimated at $30 to $40 million daily, and prices for internet access spiking dramatically. Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi noted that around 10 million jobs in Iran depended on internet connectivity, highlighting the profound impact of the shutdown on daily life and the economy.