Iran Sets Record for Longest Nationwide Internet Shutdown
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- Iran' state‑imposed internet blocking has become the longest nationwide switch‑off on record, NetBlocks says.
- NetBlocks reports that global internet connectivity has hovered at roughly 1 % of pre‑war levels since Feb 28, when the US‑Israel war on Iran began.
- Iran endured a 20‑day internet restriction in January amid nationwide protests, leaving citizens with close to two‑thirds of 2026 in digital darkness.
- Intranet remains limited and sometimes slow, offering only basic services and access to state‑run news and messaging.
- NetBlocks notes Iran is the first country to have had internet connectivity and then lose it by reverting to a national network.
- Myanmar, Sudan, Indian‑administered Kashmir, and Ethiopia’s Tigray have seen longer blackouts, but none have experienced a state‑imposed shutdown at this scale for this long, NetBlocks adds.
Why it matters: Most Iranians have been deprived of global internet access for roughly two‑thirds of 2026, limited to a slow, state‑run intranet that only offers basic services and state news, curbing external communication, business, and personal connections while bolstering the government’s information control.
