Iran Condemns U.S. Strikes, Restores Internet After $30 Million-a-Day Shutdown
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 26
Iran Condemns U.S. Strikes, Restores Internet After $30 Million-a-Day Shutdown
11 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 26
Tuesday’s Iranian response cast Monday’s U.S. strikes in southern Iran as a ceasefire breach and “bad faith,” while authorities began lifting a national internet blackout in place since January.
The U.S. said the strikes were defensive and restrained, hitting missile launch sites and minelaying boats despite the fragile truce that has largely held since April 7.
Internet access was restored gradually after a shutdown Tehran called a wartime necessity but one that was costing the economy an estimated $30 million to $40 million a day.
Talks remain uncertain after Iran’s parliament speaker and foreign minister left Qatar, with negotiations centered on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing a U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports.
The strait’s effective closure is stranding ships and squeezing energy and fertilizer flows, prompting U.N. warnings that the shock could deepen into a global food-security crisis in 2026 and 2027.
With peace talks and military strikes occurring simultaneously, is the U.S.-Iran ceasefire about to collapse?
As the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, is a global food and energy crisis now inevitable?
Will Trump's new Abraham Accords demand derail the already fragile peace negotiations with Iran?
After 88 Days Offline: How Iran’s Internet Blackout Reshaped Its Economy, Society, and the World
Overview
Following US military actions near Bandar Abbas on May 26, 2026, Iran demonstrated its ongoing military capabilities by targeting US Navy ships, despite claims that its forces had been weakened. At the same time, Iran began partially restoring internet services after an 88-day nationwide blackout, which had severely damaged its already unstable economy. The shutdown led to major losses in the tech sector and widespread company closures, forcing the government to act. However, the restored internet is now highly controlled and segmented, reflecting a shift toward tighter state control and deepening digital inequality in Iranian society.