> At a Glance
> – Iran’s internet access collapsed to near-zero on Thursday during nationwide protests
> – Multiple global monitors detected the blackout starting around 8 p.m. Tehran time
> – Government is behind the shutdown, according to Iranian cybersecurity researcher
> – Why it matters: The blackout cuts Iranians off from the world as unrest over economic crisis grows
Iran has plunged into digital darkness, with internet traffic dropping to almost nothing as protests over the country’s economic turmoil intensify across cities.
The Blackout Begins
Web monitoring firms Kentik, NetBlocks, Cloudflare, and IODA all recorded the sudden collapse shortly after 8 p.m. local time. Doug Madory of Kentik described the country as being in a “near-total blackout” since roughly 11:30 a.m. ET.
Amir Rashidi from the Miaan Group, an Iranian cybersecurity nonprofit, told News Of Philadelphia:
> “I think we’re at a near-total disconnection from the outside world now.”
Cloudflare’s David Belson confirmed the severity:
> “We continue to see a small amount of traffic, but the country is effectively completely offline.”
Economic Unrest Triggers Shutdown
The internet blackout follows weeks of protests that began at the end of December after Iran’s currency plummeted in value. The financial crisis has caused:
- Severe shortages of everyday goods
- Dramatic price spikes nationwide
- Closure of shops in Tehran’s traditional bazaar for 11 consecutive days, per The New York Times
Iran’s government, which tightly controls internet access, is responsible for the blackout, Rashidi stated. Officials at Iran’s U.S. embassy did not respond to News Of Philadelphia‘s inquiries, and the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website was unreachable at publication time.
Key Takeaways
- Zero connectivity: Global monitors confirm Iran’s internet is effectively offline
- Government action: Iranian authorities ordered the blackout amid growing protests
- Economic crisis: Currency collapse sparked nationwide demonstrations
- Information vacuum: The shutdown prevents both domestic coordination and international visibility into the unrest
The blackout leaves millions of Iranians isolated as economic frustrations continue to fuel demonstrations across the country.
