Internet blackout, telephone services also halted after anti-protests in Iran (Photo- Reuters)
Reuters, Tehran. As anti-government protests intensified in Iran, authorities have imposed Internet blackout in many parts of the country. According to reports, not only the internet but also landline and mobile telephone services have been severely affected, leaving the country virtually cut off from the outside world.
Internet and communication down
The Internet and landline and mobile phone services have also been cut off across Iran and in many places since around 8 pm (local time) on Thursday (January 8). According to Cloudflare Radar, the government intervention saw a massive 98.5% drop in IPv6 traffic.
The unrest began in late December 2025, when traders in Tehran's Grand Bazaar closed shops to protest the falling value of the rial and rising food prices.
The protests, which have continued for 12 days, have so far resulted in at least 45 deaths (including 8 children) and over 2,000 arrests. The blackout began shortly after exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called for nationwide demonstrations at 8 p.m.