Internet shutdown pushes Iranians onto distrusted domestic apps
Many Iranians have been forced onto distrusted domestic apps after authorities cut global internet access, disrupting education and business while exposing users to slow speeds, censorship and surveillance fears.
Most affected are businesses reliant on Instagram and other global services, but even users pushed onto domestic platforms described repeated outages, poor functionality and heavy censorship on apps such as Rubika, Bale and Shad.
One citizen said Rubika often fails to send photos and videos for much of the day and alleged the platform checks users’ phone galleries. Another said uploading a single image on Rubika can take an hour.
Citizens also raised concerns that domestic applications could expose their data and devices to state monitoring.
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Trump said there was “never a deadline” for negotiations and suggested an agreement could still emerge before his planned trip to China next week, while also keeping open the possibility of renewed strikes.
His remarks followed an Axios report saying the White House believes a one-page memorandum to end the war may be within reach and could create a framework for broader nuclear talks within 30 days.
The reaction from Iranians inside and outside the country exposed deep divisions over diplomacy, military pressure and expectations surrounding Trump’s approach toward the Islamic Republic.
Comments show fatigue and distrust
Many people writing or speaking to Iran International described emotional exhaustion after months of war, economic pressure and shifting rhetoric from Washington.
“Mr. Trump, either fight like a man or leave us alone. You’ve exhausted us,” one person from Arak wrote.
Another questioned why discussions that could shape Iran’s future appeared to be taking place privately.
“If the fate of the Iranian people is being decided through this agreement, why is it happening behind closed doors?” the sender wrote. “People have the right to know what concessions are being exchanged.”
A citizen from Shiraz described the current moment as existential for many Iranians.
“The nation has endured years of sanctions and pressure and paid the price in blood like a war,” the comment read. “Every single day of delay is a matter of life and death.”
Others focused on the humanitarian and psychological toll of the conflict.
“Trump said help was on the way, but not only did no help come, the attacks led to two months of internet shutdowns,” one person wrote. “People suffered, people were killed and we became poorer.”
Another from Mashhad urged Iranians to rely on each other rather than foreign powers or the government.
“In this situation, neither the government nor America is thinking about the people,” the message said. “We Iranians should look after each other.”
Some appealed directly to opposition figures abroad.
One from Tehran called on exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi to speak with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “so people do not lose hope.”
Others argued the confrontation remained unresolved regardless of diplomacy or ceasefire efforts.
“This battle is not over and it continues,” one person wrote. “Whether there is war, ceasefire or negotiations, the conflict still continues.”
‘Iranians lack representation in talks’
Asieh Amini, a Norway-based social affairs analyst speaking to Iran International, said assessing public opinion inside Iran has become increasingly difficult because internet restrictions and censorship have narrowed the available space for measuring sentiment.
“When we talk about the reaction of the Iranian people, naturally we should rely on polling or evidence,” Amini said. “Unfortunately because of internet shutdowns, even the virtual space that could provide a relative statistical picture no longer exists.”
Amini argued that Iran is simultaneously experiencing two separate conflicts: one between the Islamic Republic and foreign powers, and another between the Iranian state and its own citizens.
“One side has a loud voice in international media – those opposing war and criticizing Trump and Netanyahu,” Amini said. “But the second conflict, which many believe is the main war inside Iran, has no representative in these negotiations.”
Amini described that internal struggle as a long-running confrontation marked by executions, repression, internet shutdowns and economic pressure.
“The main victims are defenseless Iranian people,” Amini said, adding that many Iranians now feel excluded from decisions that could shape their future.
Discussing the possible domestic impact of any agreement, Amini said economic hardship has overtaken nearly every other public concern inside Iran.
“The issue is no longer simply poverty,” she said. “Many people’s incomes have reached zero or below zero. People are surviving off savings if they have any left.”
Amini said many Iranians who once hoped for stronger international intervention have become increasingly disillusioned.
“Despair is the first thing reflected back from society,” she said. “People feel abandoned.”
Users accuse Trump of inconsistency
Posts circulating on X reflected a broader and often harsher backlash, with many accusing Trump of worsening conditions inside Iran without producing meaningful political change.
One widely shared post listed what the writer described as the results of Trump’s “half-finished war”: internet blackouts, inflation, unemployment, declining incomes, poverty, intensified repression, executions and worsening mental health conditions.
Another user wrote that hearing phrases such as “agreement,” “negotiations” and “we’ll see what happens” now caused disgust after months of uncertainty.
Some posts argued Trump had weakened US credibility by alternating between military threats and diplomacy.
“Trump destroyed the reputation and military credibility of America as a superpower,” one user wrote.
Another accused Washington of trapping “90 million people between sanctions and clerics” after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal only to pursue negotiations again years later.
Several users dismissed the latest reports of possible diplomacy as unrealistic given the scale of disagreements between Washington and Tehran.
One post summarized what it described as Washington’s demands – ending enrichment, dismantling nuclear facilities and transferring enriched uranium abroad – before concluding that the Islamic Republic would never accept such terms.
“If you think these two sides will reach an agreement, then maybe I’m the one who thinks differently,” the post read.
Others suggested the latest reports were intended mainly to stabilize markets and calm fears of renewed conflict.
“The whole Axios story looks like a game to control the markets,” one wrote.
‘Washington balancing pressure, diplomacy’
Amir Hamidi, a national security specialist speaking to Iran International, said Trump’s latest comments appeared aimed at maintaining pressure on Tehran while leaving room for diplomacy.
“Recent remarks by President Trump about giving the Islamic Republic a final opportunity reflect a calculated strategy by the United States,” Hamidi said. “A strategy that preserves maximum pressure while keeping the final diplomatic path open.”
Hamidi said Washington was attempting to present itself as avoiding war while pressuring Tehran politically, economically and diplomatically.
“The message from Washington is clear,” Hamidi said. “There is still a path for negotiations and preventing crisis, but this opportunity cannot be unlimited.”
According to Hamidi, Trump is also seeking to frame the United States as responding to regional instability rather than initiating conflict.
“The United States wants to show that it is not the side starting wars,” he said, adding that Washington’s stated objective remains changing what it sees as destabilizing regional behavior by Tehran.
Netanyahu praised
A large number of posts contrasted Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was often portrayed as more committed to confronting the Islamic Republic militarily.
“Finish the job, Bibi,” several users wrote in English and Persian.
One argued Trump “can never match Bibi,” while another said Israel appeared more determined than Washington to maintain pressure on Tehran.
“The goal of Israel is the destruction of the Islamic Republic,” one post read. “That’s why they stay calm despite America’s mixed signals.”
Some argued any agreement that preserves the current political system in Iran would ultimately fail and damage US deterrence globally.
“If America gives concessions to the Islamic Republic and leaves, then Washington must say goodbye to its deterrence,” one person wrote.
Another argued Tehran would eventually resume efforts toward nuclear weapons capability if it survives the current confrontation intact.
“Immediately after surviving this war, the regime will go toward the atomic bomb,” the user wrote.
Calls for restraint compete with despair
Not all reactions condemned Trump outright. Some users argued Washington’s softer rhetoric may reflect tactical calculations rather than retreat.
“One should not panic or insult Trump for now,” one post said, arguing the administration’s priority appeared to be securing Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium.
Another urged people to avoid emotional swings driven by daily headlines.
“We should not judge too quickly or expect too much,” the user wrote.
Dozens of citizens described the rollout of tiered internet, branded as “Internet Pro,” as part of a system of inequality emerging during months of widespread connectivity restrictions.
Internet access was first cut on January 8 alongside calls for nationwide protests and remained fully restricted until January 28. About a month later, during US and Israeli strikes on Iran, authorities imposed another shutdown that has now lasted more than 60 days.
Monitoring group NetBlocks has described the ongoing disruption as one of the longest state-imposed internet blackouts recorded globally, leaving tens of millions of people largely cut off from international connectivity.
Material circulating among users outlines a four-level structure of access, with so-called “white SIM cards” at the top offering largely unrestricted global internet, although their pricing has not been disclosed.
A second tier provides paid “Internet Pro” access with partial connectivity but continued filtering and daily limits, with operators formally setting prices at around 400,000 rials per gigabyte (about $0.22) and packages such as 50 gigabytes annually priced near 25 million rials (about $14).
Below that, users rely on VPN services for broader access, often at significantly higher cost – figures shared by users point to similar data volumes reaching about 70 million rials (around $39) – while the majority remain limited to a restricted domestic network, where access to local services is priced far lower, including packages around 3 million rials (about $1.70).
Average income in Iran is around $150 to $200 per month, while the minimum wage is typically below $100.
“In Iran, for more than two months the government has cut off people’s internet and now it has launched a fully legal form of internet rent-seeking,” one citizen said. “They sell limited annual access to businesses and casually turn the internet into a class-based system. This is an obvious injustice.”
Citizens link plan to wider corruption
Several citizens described the initiative as an extension of long-standing financial networks tied to filtering and circumvention tools. They argued that the same actors who benefited from selling virtual private networks are now promoting the new service.
One person said individuals previously involved in selling VPN access during periods of heavy restrictions have begun advertising Internet Pro packages.
Others framed the policy as a revenue stream. Some said authorities appear to be offsetting economic pressure through monetizing access to global connectivity.
“If the shutdown is truly about national security as you say, then what is this Internet Pro?” another citizen asked. “Is it another way to take money from people?”
Past reporting has pointed to a lucrative market around filtered internet access. In one instance, a member of parliament said the annual turnover of the VPN market reached tens of millions of dollars.
Businesses struggle despite limited access
Many messages said selective access has done little to ease the broader economic damage, with users saying that businesses cannot operate when customers remain offline, even if sellers regain limited connectivity.
“Many businesses have shut down and people’s lives have been disrupted,” one citizen wrote, describing internet access as a necessity rather than a privilege.
Another person questioned official reasoning that the policy aims to support commerce. “If a seller has internet but the buyer does not, what is the point?” the message read.
An online shop owner said the plan fails to help businesses dependent on social media platforms. “Even the Internet Pro they talk about is useless for us,” the person said. “We need customers online. If ordinary people cannot connect, our access means nothing.”
Students and professionals also described setbacks. A graduate student said research had stalled due to lack of access, while instructors continued to use less restricted connections without objection.
Others pointed to broader social effects, including disruption to education and rising psychological strain linked to isolation from global communication networks.
Media groups warn of wider impact
The Tehran Province Journalists’ Association criticized the internet shutdown and access controls in a Thursday statement, saying free internet “is the right of all and must not be sold under any name.”
“Repeated internet shutdowns, beyond causing serious harm to businesses and essential communications, have a destructive impact on media work and the economic condition of media outlets,” the statement said.
The association said offering higher-quality access to select users creates additional social problems, adding that “granting a public right to specific buyers at a higher price is against citizens’ legal rights and is unethical and must be removed from the government’s agenda.”
It called on authorities to provide equal and fair access to all journalists and media organizations, emphasizing that free and transparent flow of information is central to media activity.
“Access to free, high-quality and universal internet is not a luxury but a public right, and governments are responsible for ensuring it,” the statement said.
Separately, the newspaper Etemad highlighted the human impact of the shutdown, reporting that restrictions have not only damaged online businesses but also affected people’s mental well-being.
The report noted that platforms such as Instagram and Telegram had become part of daily life for many Iranians, and their sudden disruption has created a sense of disconnection.
It added that users had only recently begun integrating tools such as ChatGPT into everyday use, but are now cut off from such global services, with younger generations facing particular strain on their digital identity and mental health.
Calls grow to reject privileged access
A recurring theme in the messages was refusal to participate in the system. Many citizens described accepting privileged access as complicity in unequal policies.
A dentist in Tehran said he had declined multiple invitations to receive Internet Pro access. “Internet is the right of all people,” he said, urging colleagues not to accept what he called rent-based access.
Another citizen described support for the plan as a “betrayal to all Iranians” and encouraged collective refusal.
Some messages praised professional bodies that have rejected the offer. Iran’s nursing organization said on April 26 it would not seek special access for its members while the broader public remains restricted.
Similar positions were taken by associations representing graphic designers, nurses and lawyers, who described the policy as inconsistent with principles of equality.
“These decisions show that resistance is possible,” one citizen wrote, calling for wider adoption of similar stances.
Wider context of prolonged shutdown
Under current conditions, most citizens rely on costly and often insecure VPN services to access blocked platforms. Internet Pro offers limited alternatives but still includes filtering and usage caps.
Across dozens of accounts, citizens framed access to the internet not as a service to be rationed, but as a shared right – one they say should not depend on status, profession, or ability to pay.
