Iran’s internet blackout has entered its 12th week, the NetBlocks global internet monitor said on Saturday.
“The internet shutdown, which has sent a country of 90 million largely offline for an unprecedented duration, continues to erode human rights, the economy and basic liberties at scale,” it stated.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian last week tasked First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref with forming a body aimed at restoring internet access.
The “Reformist” Shargh newspaper reported that the committee is expected to reconsider the internet restrictions within a month.
The Islamic regime combined advanced surveillance technology, communications blackouts and swift paramilitary crackdowns to suppress nationwide protests that started in late December.
The regime used drones, digital monitoring and military-grade jamming equipment to identify demonstrators and cut off internet access, while casting protesters as foreign-backed agents.
The internet blackout has fueled a growing black market for unrestricted SIM cards and paid VPN services, the opposition Iran International outlet reported on Friday. The blackout has also dealt significant damage to the country’s economy.
