TL;DR
Monitoring firms report that Iran experienced an almost complete internet blackout as protests over an economic crisis spread across major cities. Multiple traffic monitors registered a sharp drop in connectivity beginning around 11:30 a.m. ET (8 p.m. Tehran time).
What happened
Web monitoring companies and independent analysts reported a near-total collapse of internet connectivity in Iran on Thursday as nationwide protests continued. Firms including Kentik, NetBlocks, Cloudflare and IODA recorded a sudden, countrywide drop in traffic beginning at roughly 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time (about 8 p.m. in Tehran). Researchers with the nonprofit Miaan Group and Kentik described the nation as effectively offline, with only minimal remaining traffic. The demonstrations were triggered in late December after a sharp fall in the value of Iran’s currency, which coincided with shortages of goods and sharp price increases; some traditional bazaar shops in Tehran have reportedly remained closed for eleven days. Observers say Iran’s government, which tightly controls internet access, is responsible for the blackout; government representatives did not respond to requests for comment and the Iranian Foreign Ministry website was unavailable at the time of reporting.
Why it matters
- A nationwide blackout disrupts citizens’ ability to communicate, access information and organize, compounding the impact of the protests.
- Cutting external connectivity limits independent verification of events on the ground and hinders reporting by international media and NGOs.
- Shutdowns can interfere with financial services, commerce and emergency communications, amplifying economic and humanitarian risks.
- Widespread, government-led outages signal an escalation in state responses to domestic unrest and may affect diplomatic and business relations.
Key facts
- Multiple monitoring organizations (Kentik, NetBlocks, Cloudflare, IODA) recorded a sharp, simultaneous drop in Iran’s internet traffic.
- Kentik’s analysis indicated a near-total blackout beginning around 11:30 a.m. ET (8 p.m. in Tehran) on Thursday.
- An Iranian cybersecurity researcher at the nonprofit Miaan Group described the country as nearly disconnected from the outside world.
- Cloudflare reported only a small amount of remaining traffic, characterizing the country as effectively offline.
- Protests began at the end of December after a steep decline in Iran’s currency value that led to shortages and rapid price increases.
- Some shops in Tehran’s traditional bazaar have reportedly been closed for eleven days, according to The New York Times.
- Observers attribute the internet shutdown to the Iranian government, which maintains tight control over national access.
- Iranian government representatives in the U.S. did not respond to requests for comment; the Iranian Foreign Ministry website was down at the time of publication.
What to watch next
- Whether and when authorities will restore full international internet connectivity — not confirmed in the source
- The duration and geographic extent of the outage across Iranian cities and regions — not confirmed in the source
- Any international diplomatic or economic responses tied to the blackout and the underlying protests — not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- Internet blackout: A deliberate disruption or shutdown of internet access across a region or country, preventing users from connecting to online services and external networks.
- Traffic monitoring (internet): The use of tools and services to measure and analyze data flows across networks to track availability, outages and performance.
- NetBlocks: An independent organization that tracks internet shutdowns and restrictions worldwide through network measurements and reporting.
- Cloudflare: A company that provides content delivery, security and infrastructure services and publishes internet traffic insights based on its global network.
Reader FAQ
Who shut down the internet in Iran?
Security researchers and observers attribute the shutdown to Iran’s government, according to the reporting.
What sparked the protests?
The demonstrations followed a sharp fall in the value of Iran’s currency, leading to shortages and steep price increases.
Are there confirmed casualty figures from the protests?
not confirmed in the source
Is the Iranian government commenting on the outage?
Government representatives in the U.S. did not respond to requests for comment, and the Iranian Foreign Ministry website was down at publication time.
Internet connectivity collapsed across Iran on Thursday amid nationwide protests, according to web monitoring firms. “I think we’re at a near-total disconnection from the outside world now,” Amir Rashidi, an…
Sources
- Internet collapses in Iran amid protests over economic crisis
- Internet disruption, several arrests made as Iran protests …
- Reza Pahlavi warns protesters Iran's regime may cut Internet
- A web of impunity: The killings Iran's internet shutdown hid …
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