Iran is experiencing what observers describe as one of the most severe and prolonged nationwide internet blackouts in modern history, with connectivity reportedly disrupted for more than 38 consecutive days amid escalating regional tensions and war-related developments.
The outage has effectively disconnected more than 90 million people from the global internet, leaving citizens reliant almost entirely on state-controlled communication channels. Analysts warn that the disruption has created an unprecedented information vacuum inside the country, raising concerns over public awareness, information control, and internal stability.
According to multiple reports, the sweeping shutdown began shortly after the first wave of military escalation involving the United States and Israel in late February 2026. Authorities are said to have imposed a near-total internet cutoff on February 28, coinciding with the onset of hostilities. This followed earlier temporary disruptions in January during nationwide protests, suggesting a pattern of tightening digital control during periods of unrest.
The current blackout is now being described by experts as the longest and most extensive internet disruption imposed on a country since at least 2010. Internet monitoring analysts, including Doug Madory of Kentik, have compared its scale to previous major outages, noting that it surpasses even Sudan’s 37-day shutdown in 2019 and rivals Libya’s prolonged communications disruptions during the 2010–2011 conflict period.
Inside Iran, the population has been pushed onto the government-developed National Information Network (NIN), an internal intranet system that has been under development for more than a decade and a half. While it offers localized alternatives to global services—including search engines, messaging tools, and entertainment platforms—it remains heavily restricted and closely monitored by state authorities.
The blackout has also created severe economic and social strain. With traditional internet access blocked or heavily restricted, many Iranians have turned to virtual private networks (VPNs) or specialized SIM cards to regain partial connectivity. However, these tools have become increasingly expensive and difficult to obtain. Reports indicate that black-market data prices range from approximately $6 to $24 per gigabyte, several times higher than global averages.
In extreme cases, some users have reportedly traveled overland to neighboring countries such as Turkey to access unrestricted internet connections.
Follow the latest news on Google News
