The most important factor in long-term peace with Iran is its people – not the regime.
As Iran’s internet connectivity flickers between restoration and restriction after 88 days of an almost total blackout, the United States, as well as our allies and partners, can center engagement with the Iranian people, rather than simply the government that oppresses them.
Recent months have underscored the vulnerability of ordinary Iranians. Millions of Iranians were cut off from family, information, education, commerce, and the outside world following nationwide internet shutdowns and prolonged restrictions. This blackout damaged businesses, disrupted livelihoods, and tightened the regime’s control over information.
Even as authorities have begun restoring connectivity, access remains uneven and heavily restricted, leaving many Iranians uncertain whether they will remain connected tomorrow. Credible media reports have described the restored internet as a “whitelist,” or a list that only allows access to a narrow list of approved internet sites, versus the previous “blacklist” model, which restricted access to some sites. Internet freedom groups have also highlighted China’s role in providing technical expertise to help the regime choke the internet, as well as Russia’s role in jamming the satellite internet service, Starlink.
Information is a contested domain – just like air, sea, land, and space. It remains one of the most powerful forms of engagement and has been a marker in democracy movements around the world.
History demonstrates that soft power can be remarkably effective in closed societies. During the Cold War, radio broadcasts, educational exchanges, cultural programming, and – perhaps most importantly – independent journalism helped maintain connections between citizens living behind authoritarian barriers and the broader world.
The same principle applies today.
Iranian citizens have suffered, and the world has witnessed, the regime’s heavy investment in censorship, surveillance, and the restriction of information through a controlled domestic internet. Freedom House continues to rank Iran among the world’s most restrictive online environments; every day, even before the 88 days of silence, Iranian citizens faced extensive filtering, monitoring, and limits on access to global platforms.
In that environment, independent media play a vital role. Radio Farda, the Persian-language service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has long provided news and analysis to Iranian audiences and recently returned to shortwave broadcasting to bypass the regime’s restrictions during the latest blackout.
This independent journalism acts as a light in one of the world’s most restrictive media environments and shouldn’t be viewed as a relic of a previous era.
Farda, like other platforms for independent broadcast journalism, is a strategic asset. During periods of authoritarian censorship, radio often remains the most difficult medium to block completely, and it’s also inexpensive to access. Especially in countries like Iran, where domestic media simply doesn’t provide credible coverage, parroting regime talking points, citizens are hungry for facts.
Of course, radio is not enough by itself. Support for independent broadcasting should be paired with broader efforts to expand access to credible information and reliable sources. The United States has traditionally supported secure communications technologies to reach citizens suffering under oppressive regimes, backing internet freedom initiatives. For Iran specifically, there has been broad U.S. bipartisan support for internet access during periods of repression.
Additionally, U.S. engagement can reflect and meet the aspirations of the people of Iran themselves – an educated, connected and diverse population that has shown, time and again, that they are ready for change. While the regime continues to keep its own people under its thumb, virtual programs, including virtual academic partnerships, English-language opportunities, professional networks and cultural diplomacy, especially in Farsi, can strengthen people-to-people ties.
As the United States seeks a resolution to the conflict, policymakers should resist the temptation to view Iran solely through the lens of nuclear diplomacy, the Strait of Hormuz, or sanctions. The United States, through our public diplomacy expertise, can provide the Iranian people that window to the broader world.
The future of the Iranian people is up to them. But citizens there – as in the United States and countries around the world – need factual information to make choices for themselves.
As the United States continues to negotiate with the regime over the future of Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and regional security concerns, these talks can’t obscure the larger truth: Iran’s future will ultimately be determined by its citizens.
The United States has an enduring interest in ensuring those citizens aren’t isolated from the world. Supporting Persian-language independent media, preserving access to information during internet disruptions, expanding educational and cultural engagement – investing in these connections aren’t peripheral activities, but central components of a sustainable Iran strategy.
When the internet goes dark, a trusted radio signal still matters. When censorship increases, independent journalism still matters. And when negotiations dominate headlines, the Iranian people still matter most.
