Despite unexpected ceasefire: Total internet blackout in Iran remains
Though the war in Iran has a ceasefire, people remain isolated from the world. Internet blackout continues for 40 days.
(Image: HTGanzo/Shutterstock.com)
Despite a ceasefire between the USA and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other, the internet in the Islamic Republic remains blocked for the 40th consecutive day. This is shown by data from Netblocks and Cloudflare, according to which there is almost no internet traffic in the country. “The wartime censorship measure continues even as the US and Iran regimes each declare victory, with the Iranian people once again left in the dark,” summarizes Netblocks the current situation. Since the weekend, the internet blackout has been the longest ever imposed on an entire state in world history. The ceasefire was surprisingly announced on Wednesday night.
Even in peacetime, the internet in Iran is subject to strict censorship regulations, which is why many people use VPN services to access internet services such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. However, these connections are often extremely slow and unreliable. In contrast, a small part of the Islamic Republic's power apparatus has been able to use the internet without restrictions for years. There are so-called “white SIM cards” for which no restrictions or blocks apply. Iranian media also publish their news and the regime's perspective on internet platforms such as Telegram and X, which are actually blocked.
Strait of Hormuz to reopen
The current internet blockade was imposed on February 28, when Israel and the USA began to launch air strikes on Iran. Among others, the then Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed. His son has since been installed as his successor. Iran has subsequently begun to attack various neighboring countries and blocked the Strait of Hormuz, which has led to massive disruptions in the global economy. As part of the ceasefire, the important sea route is now to be reopened, the Iranian Foreign Minister has announced. This is to be done in coordination with the Iranian armed forces and considering technical limitations.
Videos by heise
As recently as Monday, Iran's government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohadscherani had ruled out free public access to the global internet for now, the dpa news agency reported. Mohadscherani reportedly claimed that the government was pursuing the goal of free internet access. However, other considerations would apply in wartime. As a result of the blockade, online trade in the country has almost completely collapsed. Hundreds of thousands of companies are affected. Many traders rely on social networks like Instagram to advertise products and services. At the same time, the blockade allows the regime to prevent people in Iran from communicating their perspective on events to the outside world and to cover up crimes.
(mho)
