Iran in limbo: What’s next for country under internet blackout?

Al JazeeraCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by Maziar MotamediJanuary 16, 2026 at 08:12 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

Iran's government has imposed a state-imposed communications blackout across the country for over a week, affecting 90 million people. The blackout began on January 8, amid nationwide protests that turned deadly, with reports of clashes between protesters and government forces resulting in an estimated 2,615 deaths, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. The Iranian government has denied these claims, downplaying the death toll. The blackout has limited access to the global internet, with only outgoing international phone calls reconnected since Tuesday. Local authorities have set up trials for people arrested during the protests, which are expected to start soon. The government blames "foreign elements" for the unrest, urging citizens not to fall victim to their tactics and to report suspicious activity.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Fox News 30% United States 30% Enghelab Square 40% Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) 40% Abbas Araghchi 50% Ruhollah Khomeini 50% Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 60% Tehran ×370% Iran ×690%

Keywords

internet blackout 100% iran 90% protests 90% communications blackout 80% government forces 60% clerical leadership 50% rising prices 50% death toll 40%