Internet shutdown pushes Iranians onto distrusted domestic apps

Key Points:

• Former President Trump indicated no fixed deadline exists for negotiations with Iran and suggested a possible agreement before his upcoming China visit, while not ruling out renewed military strikes.
• An Axios report revealed the White House sees potential for a one-page memorandum to end the conflict, possibly paving the way for broader nuclear talks within 30 days, though public opinion inside Iran remains deeply divided and fatigued.
• Iranians express distrust and emotional exhaustion over ongoing war, economic sanctions, internet shutdowns, and lack of transparency in negotiations, with many feeling excluded from decisions shaping their future.
• Analysts highlight two simultaneous conflicts in Iran: the external war with foreign powers and an internal struggle between the Iranian state and its citizens, exacerbated by repression and economic hardship.
• Amid prolonged internet blackouts, activists and diaspora communities employ innovative circumvention tools such as VPN alternatives, satellite technologies, and offline networks to maintain information flow, urging the US and tech companies to scale support for these efforts to counter censorship and repression.