Washington announced Friday it was easing export restrictions on Iran to expand access to internet services which have been severely curbed by the government amid a crackdown on protesters.

In the aftermath of a woman's death in the custody of the country's morality police, Tehran moved to cut off the internet in what the US Treasury said was a bid to "to prevent the world from watching its violent crackdown on peaceful protestors."

The new measure will allow technology companies to "expand the range of internet services available to Iranians," Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a statement.