Iran internet blackout has left most citizens cut off from the global web, reducing connectivity to just around one percent of normal levels, according to monitoring group NetBlocks. Ordinary Iranians are now struggling to access email, messaging platforms, or basic navigation tools.
The shutdown followed a series of air strikes by Israel and the United States, which have persisted for several days, targeting Iranian military and broadcasting infrastructure. Authorities have made it clear that attempts to bypass restrictions using VPNs could carry severe consequences. Warning messages sent to users read: “If you repeatedly connect to the international internet in the coming days, your line will be blocked and the necessary measures will be taken to refer your case to the judicial authorities.”
Residents in Tehran describe daily life as nearly impossible under these conditions. Internet speeds have slowed dramatically, making phone calls and voice messaging unreliable. One resident said, “The internet speed is very slow. You cannot call and voice messages don’t get delivered. We can just text.”
The blackout has left Iranians largely confined to the country’s limited domestic intranet. Access to foreign news, government reporting, or communication with relatives abroad has been severely restricted. Navigation apps like Google Maps are largely unusable, complicating travel and daily routines. Attempts to use illegal Starlink terminals have provided only intermittent service. “The internet situation here is abysmal. It connects and disconnects. The connection is slow so the VPNs don’t work,” said a resident in the western city of Bukan.
Iran has a history of shutting down internet services during moments of political unrest. During the 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, connectivity restrictions were also imposed to control the flow of information and limit outside reporting. Human rights organisations warn that the current blackout is complicating efforts to verify reports of civilian casualties and abuses.
Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights explained that such blackouts make it harder to document events on the ground. Awyar Shekhi from the group said, “It’s a struggle for us right now, but it’s not the first time that we are facing a cutoff. We’ve built our own networks to be prepared for such times to be able to get information through our sources when there is no internet.”
For Iranians living abroad, the situation adds another layer of stress. Families struggle to contact loved ones inside the country. Shekhi described the anxiety this creates, saying, “For Iranians in the diaspora, it’s stressful and they live with anxiety about their families, not knowing if they have been able to find shelter, or whether they have left their homes.”
The internet blackout in Iran illustrates how modern conflicts increasingly extend into the digital realm, where control over information can be as impactful as military action. As residents adapt to restricted communications, both inside the country and abroad, the human cost of such measures becomes immediate and visible.
