Iranian authorities imposed a nationwide internet blackout on January 8, 2026, amid protests and later tightened it following U.S. and Israeli strikes in late February, creating the longest recorded national shutdown at 88 days before partial restoration began on May 26. Access has since remained limited under a tiered system favoring select users and domestic platforms, with ongoing restrictions reflecting the regime’s strategy of digital isolation coordinated through bodies like the IRGC and Ministry of Information and Communications Technology. Traders assign low probability to another total blackout by late August, citing the economic damage from prior outages, selective reopening, and absence of acute new triggers such as mass unrest or major military escalation. The government retains technical capacity for rapid shutdowns and has signaled longer-term controls, though full isolation carries significant domestic costs and potential diplomatic repercussions.