Iran Is Cut Off From Internet as Protests Calling for Regime Change Intensify

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 6 min read 100% complete by Farnaz Fassihi, Pranav Baskar and Sanam MahooziJanuary 9, 2026 at 03:15 AM

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long article 6 min

On Thursday, January 8, 2026, Iran experienced a near-total internet shutdown as nationwide protests intensified, demanding a change in government. Demonstrations spread to cities including Tehran, Mashhad, and Isfahan, with protesters chanting slogans against the Supreme Leader and calling for freedom. The internet blackout followed warnings from Iranian judiciary and security officials of a harsh response to the protests. While initially peaceful, some protests turned violent, with reports and videos showing fires and clashes in Tehran and Karaj. Internet monitoring groups confirmed the significant drop in connectivity across the country as the protests grew.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Karaj 40% Georgia Institute of Technology 50% Mashhad 50% Bushehr 50% Shiraz 50% Isfahan 50% NetBlocks 60% Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 70% Tehran ×680% Iran ×790%

Keywords

protests 100% iran 100% internet shutdown 90% regime change 80% internet blackout 70% freedom 60% security services 50% tehran 50% violence 40% khamenei 40%