Nearly half of Iranian internet users angry over conflict outage, ISPA poll finds

A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Communications reveals significant unrest among the Iranian public regarding the state of the internet. Nearly half of all Iranian users report intense frustration over the network shutdowns that occurred during the recent conflict with the United States. While these users express dissatisfaction with the outages, the survey also notes that a majority of respondents do not support providing government officials with unrestricted internet access, highlighting a deep-seated tension between the populace and the authorities regarding digital control.

This sentiment arrives during a period of extreme political volatility. President Masoud Pezeshkian is currently locked in a public dispute with the state broadcaster, IRIB. The administration accuses the network of selectively editing interviews to undermine the government, specifically regarding instructions provided by the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei about potential negotiations with Washington. This friction is not limited to the digital sphere, as the government continues to struggle with balancing its public-facing narratives against the private directives of its leadership.

Beyond internal media disputes, the broader environment remains tense. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has created severe economic consequences for Iran, with trade volumes with China dropping sharply compared to regional neighbors. Despite these economic pressures, hardline factions in Tehran are pointing to the recent surge in global oil prices as evidence that their current confrontational strategy is successful. This hardening of resolve has effectively stalled ongoing diplomatic efforts to bridge the gap with the United States.

Meanwhile, the social atmosphere inside the country continues to contract. Authorities have ramped up the closure of cafés in Tehran and other provinces, citing various pretexts ranging from licensing issues to failure to enforce mandatory hijab rules. These actions stand in stark contrast to the brief period of tolerance observed during the funeral of the late Supreme Leader, where cultural expression was temporarily encouraged to project national unity. As the government pivots away from that narrative, the business sector remains caught in the crossfire of shifting domestic priorities.