Iran Is Cut Off From the Internet as Protests Intensify

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Pranav Baskar and Sanam MahooziJanuary 8, 2026 at 08:45 PM

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On Thursday, January 8, 2026, Iran experienced a near-total internet blackout amid widespread protests over economic conditions and anger towards the government. Internet monitoring groups like NetBlocks and the Georgia Institute of Technology's Internet Outage Detection and Analysis database confirmed the significant drop in connectivity. Iranian officials have not commented, but the government has previously implemented internet shutdowns during crises, such as the war with Israel. Experts believe the shutdown is intended to limit the spread of information about the protests, which have expanded to cities including Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Mashhad, and Kerman, where merchants have closed businesses in protest. Iranian officials have stated that stern measures will be taken against the protesters.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tabriz 30% United States 30% Mashhad 30% Isfahan 30% Kerman 30% Miaan Group 40% Israel 40% Amir Rashidi 50% Tehran ×250% NetBlocks ×260% Islamic Republic 60% Iran ×790%

Keywords

internet shutdown 100% iran 90% protests 80% internet connectivity 70% government crackdown 60% economic conditions 50% digital rights 40% security measure 40%