In a surprising turn of events, Iran has announced a temporary easing of internet restrictions specifically for businesses. This move comes after a prolonged period where most Iranian citizens found themselves cut off from the global web, a situation that has persisted for the last 60 days, as reported by the internet observatory, NetBlocks. During this time, only a select few with pricey and sophisticated VPNs managed to bypass the stringent limitations.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, a government spokesperson, revealed that the Supreme National Security Council has sanctioned the “Internet Pro” initiative. This scheme aims to support businesses during periods of crisis. Mohajerani emphasized that as soon as the situation is deemed stable by the relevant authorities, internet access will be reassessed. She underscored the government’s attentiveness to public demands and affirmed that internet access is considered a civil right.

The initial wave of internet restrictions began on January 8, as a reaction to widespread anti-government demonstrations. A gradual restoration of connectivity took place in February. However, this progress was halted when fresh blackouts were enforced on February 28, in the wake of military actions by the US and Israel against Iran.

Even in stable times, Iran’s access to the global internet is heavily curtailed, with numerous websites facing censorship. The authorities increasingly depend on a national intranet to maintain connected services, particularly for educational institutions that are currently operating through online curricula.

Authorities initially imposed an internet blackout from January 8 in response to nationwide anti-government protests, with connections gradually coming back to normal in February until a new blackout was initiated following the start of US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.

In normal times, access to the global internet remains heavily restricted via censorship of many websites, while authorities are increasingly relying on an intranet to provide connected services without relying on the worldwide web, notably for schools which are currently following an online curriculum.