Despite the easing of restrictions, the Internet is still limited and subject to strict censorship in Iran
After blocking Internet in Iran on the eighth of last January in the confrontation with Protests, restrictions on the network have been eased, but access remains very limited.
The Iranian authorities blocked the Internet, with many messages circulating on the network calling for mass participation in the demonstrations, the suppression of which resulted in the death of thousands.
Iranians were able to have limited access to the Internet, while virtual private networks (VPNs) were made available intermittently and with significant restrictions on electronic traffic.
Even before the service outage, popular applications such as Instagram, Facebook, X, Telegram, and YouTube have been banned in Iran for years, which required the use of virtual private networks to bypass the ban.
Internet disruption via Starlink satellites
On January 8, a comprehensive block was imposed during which the authorities blocked private networks and disrupted Internet communications via Starlink is officially banned in Iran, with access to the internal Internet only allowed.
The internal network was provided in 2016, and supports local applications and websites, but was created with the aim of maintaining the security of key data and services independently of the global Internet, according to the official IRNA news agency.
As the protests subsided by January 18, the authorities began allowing limited access to Google services and email, with a gradual expansion of the so-called "Whitelist" For permitted websites.
As of February 1, the situation has not returned to what it was before the blocking, according to Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi, as many virtual networks have become available again, but their availability changes from day to day, and service outages are frequent.
The organization said. "netblocks" Non-governmental Internet monitoring agency, in a post on the X platform on January 30, said that access to the Internet "It is still tightly controlled"noting that "Whitelists and intermittent connectivity limit Iranians’ contact with the outside world"
What is the impact on the economy?
Iran’s already exhausted economy received another severe blow due to the Internet blockage.
The digital economy suffered daily losses of approximately $3 million, while the broader economy incurred losses estimated at about $35 million daily, according to the Minister of Communications.
Amir Rashidi, Director of Digital Rights at the Group "Mian" Based in the United States, he believes that keeping the Internet restricted would be difficult "Technically possible"But he indicated that "It creates cumulative pressure, in the form of weakening economic efficiency, capital flight and social discontent"
In recent weeks, the authorities have received several requests from companies in Iran to access the global network, remove fees and compensate for damages, according to a local media outlet.
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