Iranian authorities have repeatedly imposed near-total internet blackouts since January 2026, initially to suppress nationwide anti-government protests sparked by economic collapse and later intensified after U.S. and Israeli military strikes in February. Connectivity fell below 5% of normal levels for months, with phased restorations beginning only in late May after President Masoud Pezeshkian directed partial reopening. As of September 2026, access remains heavily filtered and slow, with major platforms blocked and VPN circumvention restricted, while reports indicate progress on a national intranet and kill-switch infrastructure managed through entities linked to the IRGC and Supreme National Security Council. Ongoing protests, surveillance expansions, and security priorities continue to shape decisions on connectivity controls, with trader assessments reflecting the balance between these repressive tools, economic costs, and any diplomatic or internal pressures that could trigger or avert a full cutoff by target dates.