Iran's internet restored: Blackout was 'double-edged sword' that fuelled public frustration, says expert

Access had been blocked for almost two weeks

Iranian officials announced internet restrictions on June 13 to prevent the spread of misinformation. Reuters

Iranian authorities say restrictions on internet access are being lifted amid the ceasefire with Israel.

“The communication network is gradually returning to its previous state,” said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' cyber security command in a statement carried by state media.

On June 13, telecoms officials in the country announced temporary restrictions to prevent alleged misuse by the Israeli military and stop the apparent spread of disinformation.

Shortly afterwards, internet traffic in the country dropped by almost half, and was almost nonexistent in the days the followed, according to NetBlocks, which tracks cyber security and digital governance around the world.

Internet disruptions imposed by the government in Iran are not unusual, but some experts say the latest blackout caused more distress than usual because of the back-and-forth strikes between Israel and Iran.

“It was a double-edged sword,” Mohammed Soliman, director of the strategic technologies and cybersecurity programme at the Washington-based Middle East Institute think tank, told The National.

“While it bought the government time during wartime, it also fuels public frustration by disrupting civilian services – banking, communication, daily routines – not to mention access to public safety information and contact with loved ones.”

While Iran indicated a major motive for the blackout was to prevent nefarious actions by Israel, Mr Soliman said other factors were at play.

“Iran’s internet blackout is a wartime move,” he said. “It suppresses potential dissent, and obscures battlefield losses.”

The US Department of Homeland Security has warned about the possibility of cyber attacks. Photo: DHS

Shortly after Iran announced the blackout, however, tech tycoon Elon Musk announced that his company, Starlink, had activated services for those in the country with consoles that could access the low-earth-orbit satellite internet connection.

Starlink and similar services are not officially available in the country.

As a result of air strikes between Iran and Israel, technological paranoia kicked into overdrive on both sides.

Attempts to jam global positioning satellite (GPS) systems have been reported, causing smartphones in various countries to show incorrect time zones and map locations.

Even while Iran was under the internet blackout, US authorities expressed concern about the potential for cyber attacks originating from the country.

Attempts to jam global positioning satellite (GPS) systems have been reported

“Low-level cyber attacks against US networks by pro-Iranian 'hacktivists' are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks on US networks,” a US National Terrorism Advisory bulletin read.

Iran is acknowledged in the cyber security community as a major state sponsor of cyber attacks, and the country featured prominently throughout Microsoft's 2024 Digital Defence Report.