"Internet penetration and complexity has vastly grown in Iran over the past decade, but the country’s users still connect to the global network through just two gateways. Both are controlled by the regime, and can be blocked when it chooses."
"Access to the internet is gradually being restored in Iran after an unprecedented five-day shutdown that cut its population off from the rest of the world and suppressed news of the deadliest unrest since the country’s 1979 revolution."
Gradually? How long does it take to plug in a network connection and converge BGP? Like most things it is a matter of motivation. A gun held to the head will change "gradually" into "instantly" ... it can also change "instantly" into "gradually over the next week" depending on the requirements of he who holds the gun. -- The fact that there's a Highway to Hell but only a Stairway to Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic volume.