Iranians Cut Off as Internet Blackout Enters Fourth Day
Iranians cut off from the outside world by a nationwide communications blackout say access to the internet has become more vital than basic necessities, as the shutdown entered its fourth day and mass protests continued across the country.
Messages smuggled out of Iran on Sunday described a nation paralysed by the regime’s decision to shut down online services and international phone calls. One text message, sent from an eastern border region via a neighbouring country’s network, said restoring internet access was “more important than bread”.
Since Thursday night, most internet traffic into Iran has collapsed. Mobile networks are largely offline, international calls are blocked, and access to social media and independent news sources has been severed. The blackout has disrupted daily life and commerce, with reports of cash machines failing, card payments being declined, and business networks grinding to a halt.
The shutdown began as demonstrations reportedly spread to all 31 provinces, triggering clashes with security forces and fears of significant casualties. The protests were initially sparked by economic hardship, but have since broadened into a wider challenge to the Islamic Republic’s leadership.
According to Meir Javedanfar, the decision to maintain the blackout is causing division within the regime. “On one hand, they want to cut people off from each other and from the outside world,” he said. “On the other, they understand that the economic cost of the blackout could push even more people onto the streets.”
Iran’s already fragile economy has been hit hard. Airlines have reportedly cancelled domestic and international flights, hospitals and pharmacies have struggled to access medical records, and doctors have been unable to retrieve patient files. Even satellite connectivity has been affected, with GPS signals used by Starlink reportedly jammed, despite tens of thousands of receivers believed to be inside the country.
The blackout has also severed contact between Iranians and friends and family abroad, leaving much of the country’s 92 million people effectively isolated. Past experience has heightened concern among human rights groups. In 2019, a nationwide internet shutdown lasting eight days coincided with a violent crackdown in which Amnesty Internationalsaid more than 300 people were killed. A further blackout occurred during the 2022 “women, life, freedom” protests, which ended with more than 500 deaths following months of unrest.
The current blackout appears aimed at disrupting protest coordination. It followed an online message from Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed shah, who urged people to take to the streets at 8pm. On Sunday, Pahlavi renewed his call for nightly demonstrations, telling supporters not to abandon the streets, although the lack of connectivity is expected to limit the reach of his message.
Javedanfar said the duration of the shutdown could offer clues to the regime’s stability. If it lasts longer than eight days, he suggested, it may indicate that authorities are struggling to contain the situation.
While most independent communications remain blocked, the blackout has not applied to state media. Regime aligned outlets, including Tasnim, which has links to the Revolutionary Guards, remain accessible inside Iran and continue to broadcast official statements and government messaging.
As the blackout drags on, many Iranians say the loss of internet access has become as destabilising as the economic pressures that first drove them to protest, underscoring how deeply digital connectivity is woven into daily life and resistance in the country.
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