On January 8, 2026, Tehran imposed a sweeping digital blackout, cutting off most global internet access across the country in what analysts describe as one of the most extensive communications shutdowns in recent memory. Connectivity fell to around 1 % of usual levels, with mobile networks, broadband and even satellite services severely disrupted.
Authorities have defended the move as a security measure, blaming foreign influence for fuelling unrest. But the blackout has also hindered independent reporting, making it difficult to verify events on the ground and fuelled international criticism.
There have been early signs of phased restoration. Official sources reported limited access to services such as Google and partial SMS restoration, suggesting the government may be easing restrictions incrementally. Yet for many Iranians, the experience remains frustratingly patchy. Businesses are especially hard hit: some merchants are reportedly given just 20 minutes of supervised internet a day to conduct essential transactions.
Meanwhile, Tehran is bolstering a state-run intranet that keeps domestic apps and services partially alive while broader connectivity stays restricted, fuelling fears that the blackout could evolve into lasting digital isolation for most citizens.
Data from NetBlocks indicated that gaps in the ‘filternet’ are being tightened to limit circumvention while whitelisted regime accounts promote the Islamic Republic’s narrative.
The ‘filternet’ is a colloquial term used to describe the heavily censored, restricted, and state-controlled internet infrastructure in Iran, often referred to by the government as the “Halal Internet” or National Information Network (NIN).
Rights groups and the United Nations have urged the government to restore access, warning that cutting off information flow can mask violence and hamper emergency responses amid one of Iran’s most turbulent periods in decades.
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