Internet Pro,

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‘Internet Pro’: Inside Iran’s Controversial New Two-Tiered Web System

As an analyst, I’m tracking the ongoing internet restrictions in Iran, and a new development is creating some internal friction. The government has introduced ‘Internet Pro,’ essentially a two-tiered system. It allows a select group of pre-approved users access to a less restricted internet experience, while the majority still face limitations. This is causing disagreement and division amongst officials within the Iranian regime.

  • Key Takeaways:

  • Netblocks reports Iran’s internet blockade hits day 72, dropping access to 1% since the Feb 28 attacks.
  • Economist Mahdi Ghodsi estimates the blockade costs up to $3B daily and threatens 2M jobs across the economy.
  • Minister Sattar Hashemi opposes the 2-tiered Internet Pro system currently backed by hardliners.

Iranian Internet Blockade Continues As Government Enforces Two-Tiered System

Iran’s internet access has been severely restricted for 72 days, ever since the country implemented a blockade following the U.S.-Israel attack on February 28th. This blockade has reduced internet connectivity to just 1% of normal levels and caused billions of dollars in economic losses for Iran.

Netblocks, which has been tracking Iran’s internet restrictions from the start, calls this level of blockage unusual. They point out that there are currently no signs of the internet being fully restored, as the government continues to limit public access to the global internet.

Nonetheless, the measure has given rise to a new two-tiered system for accessing the internet, with some supporters receiving unfiltered access to international sites. The Iranian general population, meanwhile, remains relegated to a small subset of the internet.

Internet Pro is too expensive for most people in Iran, forcing many to use less safe options like VPNs. While Starlink is available, there have been reports of someone dying after being arrested for using it.

However, not everyone supports this decision. Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi has come out against the Internet Pro system, stating that restricting internet access through tiers or whitelists isn’t justified and that Internet Pro has been used improperly. Conversely, stricter voices, like Mohammad Amin Aghamiri, who leads the cyberspace authority, are in favor of the policy.

The costs of these internet disruptions rise to $250 million and approach $3 billion daily when accounting for disruptions affecting banks and companies, per Mahdi Ghodsi, an Iranian economist. Layoffs have also risen, with the blockade estimated to result in the loss of two million jobs, affecting nearly 8 million families and hitting Iran’s internal economic system heavily.

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2026-05-11 01:31