Iran Tightens Digital Control as Nationwide Internet Blackout Enters Second Month

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Iran’s sweeping internet shutdown is entering its second month, leaving the vast majority of the country’s nearly 90 million citizens cut off from the global web amid ongoing tensions tied to the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

The blackout, imposed by the Islamic regime in late February under the justification of national security, has effectively severed ordinary Iranians from international communication, independent news, and global platforms. The move followed earlier targeted disruptions during widespread protests in January, signaling a broader strategy to consolidate internal control during a period of heightened unrest.

While authorities have begun rolling out a limited alternative known as “Internet Pro,” access remains highly restricted. The state-controlled system is available only to select businesses, institutions, and approved sectors—and even then, functionality is sharply curtailed.

Users connected to Internet Pro are blocked from major global platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram, long considered lifelines for communication both داخل and outside the country. Even artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are restricted, though reports indicate that China’s DeepSeek platform remains accessible—highlighting Tehran’s growing alignment with Beijing’s controlled digital ecosystem.

Critics argue that presenting Internet Pro as a substitute for open internet access is deeply misleading.

“This is ridiculous and unacceptable,” one young woman in Tehran told media outlets. “All groups in society, for any reason, need and deserve access to the internet.”

She added that the system disproportionately excludes vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those without government connections, effectively extending the isolation imposed by the shutdown.

Behind the scenes, officials are reportedly advancing new infrastructure designed to tighten state oversight of online activity. According to sources familiar with the developments, these upgrades will significantly enhance surveillance capabilities while making censorship more difficult to circumvent.

Despite these restrictions, many Iranians continue to resist digitally. Tech-savvy users employ VPNs and methods such as server name indication (SNI) spoofing to bypass filters. However, authorities are engaged in a constant counter-effort, quickly identifying and blocking new workarounds—creating an ongoing cycle of restriction and evasion.

The prolonged shutdown underscores the Iranian regime’s determination to control the flow of information during a volatile geopolitical moment, even as it deepens the isolation of its own people from the outside world.

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