Tehran restores internet access after censorship collapse exposes regime weakness amid nationwide anti-regime unrest.
The Iranian regime has begun restoring international internet access after weeks of sweeping digital restrictions imposed to suppress nationwide unrest, according to Fars News Agency.
The report said the rollback began Thursday afternoon in the provinces of Isfahan and Fars, with authorities planning to expand access gradually across the country. If no technical disruptions occur, full international connectivity is expected nationwide within 24 hours.
Fars claimed that limits on domestic platforms were lifted earlier this week and that access to major global services—including AI tools and the Google search engine—has been partially restored. Platforms previously blocked, however, will remain restricted, underscoring the regime’s continued fear of uncontrolled information.
The blackout began on January 8, at the height of anti-regime protests and a violent crackdown that included mass arrests, lethal force, and threats of executions. Cutting Iran off from the global internet was widely viewed as an attempt to hide atrocities and prevent coordination among protesters.
Regime officials predictably blamed the unrest on “foreign interference,” accusing the United States and Israel—a familiar deflection used whenever Iranians rise up demanding basic freedoms.
This is not the first sign of retreat. Limited access briefly returned earlier this week before being shut down again, suggesting internal divisions and technical strain. The current restoration points to a deeper reality: total censorship failed.
For the regime’s opponents—and for Israel and the democratic world—the episode highlights Tehran’s vulnerability. Even the Islamic Republic cannot indefinitely imprison an entire nation behind digital walls. When the internet comes back, so does the truth.
