Internet blackout in Iran: 30 days of digital isolation
has entered The internet blackout in Iran its 30th consecutive day, imposing a suffocating digital isolation on millions of people who are now cut off from the outside world. This unprecedented move comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and confrontations with the United States and Israel, making access to information and international communications virtually impossible for the average citizen.
A long history of digital censorship
The internet outage in Iran is not an isolated incident, but rather the continuation of a systematic policy pursued by Iranian authorities over the past decade to control the flow of information. Historically, Tehran has resorted to shutting down the global internet during major crises, as seen in the 2019 fuel protests and the 2022 protests. To achieve this without completely paralyzing daily life, the government developed what is known as the “National Information Network,” an internal internet network (intranet) that allows essential services such as banks, hospitals, and local applications to continue functioning, while access to the global network (the web) is completely blocked.
Reports monitor the extent of internet outages in Iran
NetBlocks, a group specializing in monitoring internet freedom worldwide, confirmed in a statement on its X platform that the internet blackout in Iran has entered its 30th day. The group noted that the strict nationwide censorship measures have continued for the fifth week after 696 hours of continuous blocking. While the internal internet network remains operational, allowing local messaging apps and banking platforms to function, access to the global internet is severely restricted, leaving citizens virtually without access to information.
Daily struggles and exorbitant communication costs
Faced with this reality, many Iranians had no choice but to rely on state-controlled platforms or resort to very expensive alternatives to communicate with loved ones abroad. “The first few weeks of the blackout were very difficult,” says Maryam, a 33-year-old private sector employee. “I had no way to contact my family in another city except through traditional phone calls.” She adds, “Now we use an Iranian messaging app and can make video calls. It’s not ideal, but we’re adapting to these difficult circumstances.”.
On the other hand, those with relatives abroad face a real crisis. “My family lives in Turkey, and I have no way of contacting them online,” says Milad, a 27-year-old clothing salesman. “I have to make direct international phone calls, which are very expensive, so I rarely hear from them.” Even journalists, like AFP correspondents in Paris, face significant difficulties communicating with residents in Iran, relying on short, intermittent periods of contact via apps like WhatsApp or Telegram, using VPNs to bypass censorship.
Local and international repercussions of the crisis
This digital shutdown has far-reaching consequences. Locally, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that rely on e-commerce and communication with external suppliers are suffering significant economic losses. Regionally and internationally, this blackout is creating a dangerous information vacuum; restrictions are narrowing access to independent information, and users are limited to biased local media outlets, which provide a fragmented picture of events. This situation is alarming international human rights organizations, which consider internet access a fundamental human right, and warn that digital isolation is hindering the international community's ability to monitor humanitarian and political conditions within the country transparently.
