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Iran Rolls Out ‘Internet Pro’ to Restore Some Business Access During Prolonged Blackout

The carveout signals economic strain that is pushing officials to preserve limited online trade during a record shutdown.

Overview

  • Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani confirmed Tuesday that the Supreme National Security Council approved an “Internet Pro” program that gives vetted businesses limited access to the global internet.
  • NetBlocks says most people have been offline for roughly 60 days with nationwide connectivity at only a few percent of normal, which it calls the longest country‑scale shutdown on record.
  • State media quoted the telecommunications regulator saying some operators violated the program’s rules, and investigators are now reviewing those cases.
  • Local business leaders estimate losses at $30–40 million per day in direct costs and up to $80 million including wider effects, with job cuts and rising prices squeezing freelancers and small firms that rely on online sales and payments.
  • Iran has tightened controls by steering users to a domestic intranet and moving to block satellite links such as Starlink, while Cloudflare data shows only small traffic gains from new allow‑listing and the business‑only tier.