Internet restored in Iran after 88 days, but no celebrations
What's the story
After an 88-day-long internet blackout, Iranians are experiencing a mix of relief and despair as connectivity slowly returns. The partial restoration has sparked a flood of long-delayed messages, images, and poems on social media platforms. However, the initial reactions to this development have been anything but celebratory. Many users have taken to their accounts expressing skepticism and anger over the situation.
Emotional responses
'We truly believe this was a small taste of freedom'
The partial restoration of internet services has evoked mixed feelings among Iranians. An artist from Tehran, identified as Ellie, shared her emotional reaction on social media. "I lit a cigarette, played SoundCloud and listened to our favorite music," she said. "Ali [her husband] and I held back tears, then cried and convinced ourselves that this was a small taste of a much greater freedom after the fall of this regime ... and we truly believe it."
Criticism
'Absurd to see western media celebrate partial restoration'
The partial restoration of internet services has also drawn criticism from some quarters. A photographer in Tehran, Maryam, slammed the celebrations and applause for this development. "It's been truly absurd watching western media celebrate partial restoration as if it's an achievement to applaud the regime for," she said. "The internet is our basic right." Maryam further pointed out that mobile internet still can't connect properly and WhatsApp is barely usable, with only VPNs being easier to connect now.
Blackout history
Internet cut in January to quell protests
The Iranian authorities had first imposed an internet blackout on January 8, to quell anti-government protests. The connections were partially restored in February but were cut again after the US and Israeli strikes against Iran began in late February. A few people managed to get online intermittently through costly VPNs and satellite internet, but most remained digitally isolated during this period.
Internet pro
Fears of increased surveillance
Last month, Iran's national security council had approved "internet pro," a service with limitations. While some welcomed this wider connectivity with cautious optimism, others viewed it with suspicion. A protester arrested in January, Mina, expressed her fears of expanded surveillance rather than a full restoration. "They have no reason to open the internet unless this is a way to move the population toward 'internet pro' or into tunnels where they can monitor us more easily," she said.
Nostalgia
'What truly came back online is our misery'
The return of internet services has also brought back painful memories for many Iranians. A Tehran-based professor, Amin, lamented return of "What truly came back online is our misery, not freedom." He said his accounts were filled with videos of funerals and mourning families. "We are the biggest losers of this war. It's not the US, Israel, and neither the Islamic Republic," he said. The online return of friends and family also brought mixed feelings for those in the diaspora.