The government is cracking open the door to the internet in Iran—but only for a select few. State media reported Sunday that university professors and researchers will soon regain access to most international sites, even as the broader population enters its 51st day under one of the country's harshest internet shutdowns to date. Officials say the wide-ranging restrictions were imposed for security reasons linked to the fight with the US and Israel, leaving more than 90 million people largely confined to a heavily monitored domestic network, the New York Times reports.
Authorities have recently restored Google search and Maps, but users still can't reach most foreign websites those tools point to, and broader access remains off-limits unless the state grants approval for a premium "Internet Pro" connection. The partial easing has sparked anger as much as relief, with complaints of a "tiered internet" that favors political and economic elites. "They want to lower people's expectations so much that even the smallest things start to feel like a favor," journalist Elaheh Mohammadi wrote. Digital rights experts say the moves reflect a deeper shift: Internet access in Iran is being recast from a basic right into a controlled asset governed by security priorities.
Users turned to Elon Musk's Starlink during the protests in January, though the government was taking steps including jamming the signal. Access to the equipment has become more expensive and difficult since then, per Deutsche Welle: Starlink kits that had gone for about $1,000 now cost more than $5,000. VPNs also are out of reach for most people. One resident said that by making a connection to the rest of the world a privilege, Iran has entered a "digital apartheid era."
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