war
Iran records longest nationwide internet blackout amid war
State-imposed shutdown has cut global internet access to roughly 1% since February 28, making it the longest national blackout on record and worsening economic and social disruption for ordinary Iranians.
Apr 5th 2026 · Iran
Insights
- Connectivity to the global internet has been at about 1% of pre-war levels since February 28, NetBlocks says.
- NetBlocks says this is the longest state-imposed nationwide internet shutdown on record, exceeding durations seen in Myanmar, Sudan, Kashmir and Tigray.
- A 20-day shutdown in January plus the current blackout means most Iranians have spent close to two-thirds of 2026 largely offline.
- Businesses face daily losses, layoffs and short-term contracts as damaged infrastructure and prewar economic problems deepen the crisis.
- Authorities whitelist select users, promote paid "Internet Pro" registration and have not offered a clear plan to restore full international connectivity.
Sources
- Iran internet blackout is longest nationwide shutdown on record: Global watchdog www.straitstimes.com
- Connection at a cost: The high-risk world of Iran’s underground VPN market after internet blackout www.independent.co.uk
- Frustration grows as Iran’s wartime internet shutdown breaks grim record www.aljazeera.com