Iran's selective internet rollback raises concerns of propaganda tool, experts say
Global demonstrations are set to go ahead on Sunday as civilians in the Islamic Republic will have experienced more than 70 days without access to internet services, according to data published by the internet monitoring service NetBlocks. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi announced the demonstrations would proceed, describing the current restrictions as keeping the Iranian people “hostage.” He noted that while the large majority of Iranians are unable to connect with the outside world, the regime has carried out mass arrests and stepped up executions.
Coverage comparison
The Jerusalem Post, in two reports published in April and May 2026, provided the primary coverage of Iran's internet restrictions and the selective rollback. The reports draw on expert commentary and official statements, offering a critical view of the regime's actions.
Key claims
Iran has regularly used internet shutdowns as a means of control, restricting access in Kurdish provinces following the killing of Mahsa Amini and the outbreak of the Women, Life, Freedom protests in 2022, and in response to the January protests triggered by the country’s dire financial crisis, according to one report.
While the large majority of Iran’s civil society has been unable to connect, the regime has allowed a small number of individuals aligned with Iran to access the internet through white SIM cards and Internet Pro packages, as reported. Amir Rashidi, a cybersecurity expert at Miaan, a digital-rights group focused on Iran, explained that Iran had employed new infrastructure, making internet access a privilege rather than a right.
Access to Starlink satellite dishes and VPNs is risky and expensive, according to reports. The Iranian economy is suffering due to the restrictions, with a daily loss of around $37.7 million and about 70% of businesses impacted, as reported.
The regime’s selective rollback on internet restrictions has created an ideological litmus test, allowing voices backing the regime to enter online spaces while continuing to isolate the majority of Iranian people digitally, experts told the Jerusalem Post.
Iran’s deputy science minister, Seyed Mehdi Abtahi, promised that the regime would allow researchers and professors access to online sites, except those censored by Tehran. “Based on a list we had, steps have been taken to provide professors with access to the international internet, and gradually this will be extended to all professors,” Abtahi told the Iranian Student News Agency.
Service providers, with the approval of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, have also begun offering an 'Internet Pro' package, according to dissident and state media reports. This package allows selected businesses and institutions to access global sites, which remain restricted to the general public.
Perspectives
Experts warn that the rollback is a new tool for the regime to feed propaganda to the Western audience. Roger Macmillan, a terrorism and security specialist and former director of the diaspora site Iran International, told the Post that promising access to researchers and academics “is not a liberalization signal.” The regime's motives for shutting down internet access may not be connected to national security, as suggested by multiple sources.
As of the latest reports, the internet blackout continues for the majority of Iranians, with no clear timeline for a full restoration. The selective rollback appears to favor those aligned with the regime, raising concerns about digital discrimination and the regime's intent to control the narrative both domestically and internationally.