[75194] Iran: Partial restoration of the internet alongside a wave of arrests and international convictions
[75194] Iran: Partial restoration of the internet alongside a wave of arrests and international convictions
After 88 days of disconnection, internet access in Iran has been partially restored under heavy filtering, while the Tehran regime faces convictions for assassination attempts against regime opponents abroad and international reports on internal repression.
The struggle for the digital space and rights in Iran
After 88 days of almost complete disconnection from the international internet network, Iran has begun a gradual reconnection process, but monitoring agencies like Vahid Online and NetBlocks report that users are encountering "heavy filtering" reminiscent of the situation that prevailed before the outbreak of the military conflict. The IRNA news agency, which is affiliated with the regime, described the move as a step toward restoring the digital economy, while sources like Deutsche Welle Persian point out that popular platforms such as WhatsApp remain blocked.
The internal dispute surrounding the network reconnection surfaced in a report by the Government Information Council, which harshly criticized public broadcasting in Iran, claiming it acts as a divisive factor promoting the interests of a "loud minority" that opposes government measures. Conversely, Member of Parliament Ahmad Rastineh argued on Iran International that decisions regarding network connection should be made by the Supreme National Security Councils and not as a political move by the President.
On the legal and international front, the US Department of Justice sentenced Jonathan Loadholt to 10 years in prison for his involvement in an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps plot to assassinate political activist Masih Alinejad. Iran International notes that this is another conviction in a series of assassination attempts thwarted by the FBI.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International published an alarming report on a "new wave of repression" that included the arrest of approximately 6,000 people and the execution of at least 39 political activists since the start of the military conflict on February 28, 2026. The report details the use of torture, enforced disappearances, and the extortion of "confessions" under duress, and calls on the international community to act immediately to stop further death sentences.