Iran’s partial internet return exposes rift inside ruling system

Key Points:

• A special headquarters led by First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref was established to decide on resuming broader global internet access after wartime restrictions between Iran and Israel, sparking a dispute with hardliners.
• Four hardline members of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace filed a legal complaint to halt the headquarters' decision to restore internet access, leading to a court suspension order; however, the government proceeded with partial reconnection.
• Hardliners criticize the decision not on technical grounds but on the authority to make it, arguing that cyberspace remains a critical war front and that the Supreme National Security Council's resolutions must be respected.
• The partial internet restoration remains limited and heavily filtered, with access at about 60% of normal levels and continued reliance on VPNs, causing public skepticism due to previous cycles of connection and restriction.
• The dispute highlights deep divisions within Iran’s security and internet governance bodies between reformist-leaning officials and ultra-conservative hardliners favoring a controlled domestic internet model.