Iran begins restoring internet after long blackout, denounces recent US military action as show of ‘bad faith’ | World

In a significant development, Iran has begun gradually bringing back internet access following one of the longest nationwide outages the country has ever faced due to the war in West Asia. Meanwhile, Iran has also accused the United States of acting in “bad faith and unreliability” after fresh airstrikes landed just as efforts continued to negotiate an end to the ongoing war. According to Iranian authorities, the military action in the southern parts of the country amounted to a violation of the ceasefire. However, Washington labelled the attacks as defensive and said it showed “restraint” despite the truce that has held for several weeks. Iran’s foreign ministry warned that the US would be accountable for “all consequences”.

A statement declared that “The Islamic Republic of Iran will leave no act of aggression unanswered”. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later claimed it had shot down one drone and forced another drone and a fighter jet to withdraw after they allegedly crossed into Iranian airspace, although no timeline was provided.

Internet slowly returns after severe shutdown

Amid this diplomatic friction, Iran began easing the months-long internet blackout that had crippled communication and commerce. Fixed broadband appeared to be returning in some regions, though many users still awaited restoration of mobile networks. Authorities had severed access in January during widespread demonstrations and imposed a full shutdown again after US and Israeli attacks on February 28. The prolonged outage caused massive economic losses, estimated at 30 to 40 million USD per day, and left families abroad struggling to stay connected. Iran, which already regulates platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, had previously seen citizens bypass controls through inexpensive VPNs.

High-profile execution adds to unrest

In another development, Iran executed Gholamreza Khani Shakarab for alleged espionage linked to Israel’s Mossad. The judiciary described him as a “ringleader” who recruited operatives inside and outside the country. Rights groups have long criticised such trials, saying they typically occur behind closed doors and rely on forced confessions. The Supreme Court had upheld his sentence before the execution.

Ceasefire strains deepen over the Strait of Hormuz

Negotiations remain centred on reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz – a global energy chokepoint where a fifth of the world’s oil and gas once passed daily. Since the conflict erupted, Tehran has restricted movement through the strait, leaving hundreds of ships stuck and sending shockwaves through international markets. Iran has allowed only limited vessels to pass recently, with the Revolutionary Guard reporting 25 ships moving through in the past 24 hours compared with the pre-war average of over 100. UN Food and Agriculture Organisation chief Qu Dongyu warned that disruptions are already straining fertiliser supplies and could escalate into a global food security crisis in 2026 and beyond if not addressed immediately.

Talks continue even as uncertainty grows

Iranian state television reported that Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi departed Qatar, where negotiations had been underway, without revealing the next steps.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said discussions on prolonging the ceasefire and reopening the strait could “take a few days.” Meanwhile, an explosion aboard a tanker in the Gulf of Oman was reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre. No injuries were recorded and the cause remains unknown. 

ALSO READ: US senator calls Pakistan’s role as mediator in Iran war ‘problematic’, backs Trump’s Abraham Accords push