Earlier this week, Iran experienced a near-total internet blackout that lasted for four days, triggered by escalating military conflict with Israel and a series of cyberattacks targeting critical Iranian infrastructure. The Iranian government confirmed it ordered the shutdown to protect against what it described as Israeli cyberattacks, citing recent hacks on major institutions like Bank Sepah and the cryptocurrency exchange Nobitex. Officials stated that security concerns and the need to prevent the use of the internet for enemy drone operations and information exchange were the main reasons for the drastic measure.
June 20 – Partial Restoration and Ongoing Restrictions
Late Friday, some Iranians managed to regain limited and unreliable internet access by switching servers or, in some cases, by chance. These connections were weak and inconsistent, with many users expressing concerns that the restored access is temporary and insecure.
Starlink’s Role and External Assistance
In an unprecedented move, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that Starlink satellite internet service was activated over Iran during the blackout, following appeals from Iranian activists. This allowed some individuals with Starlink terminals to access the internet, although the scale and effectiveness of this intervention remain unclear due to the limited number of terminals and the Iranian government’s efforts to control satellite internet access.
June 21 – Some Internet access restrictions eased
Some of Iran’s internet access restrictions have been eased, after the country earlier this week was sent into a near-total blackout, according to Iran’s communications minister.
“Connectivity and communication between Iranians abroad and inside the country via domestic messaging apps has been enabled.”
Sattar Hashemi
According to the ministry, Iranians abroad can now contact their families inside Iran through domestic messaging apps including Baleh, Rubika, Eitaa and Soroush. The ministry said unspecified “efforts” had led to a reduction in restrictions, but denied a state media report that international internet services would resume by 8 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET).
You can reference a full range of Iran IP Address blocks here.
