Iran’s nationwide internet shutdown has now exceeded three-and-a-half days, according to monitoring groups, amid widespread fears that the blackout is being used to conceal a violent crackdown on anti-government protests that activists claim has resulted in hundreds of deaths.
The monitoring organisation Netblocks reported on Monday that the internet blackout had surpassed the 84-hour mark, with connectivity severely restricted across the country. “As Iran wakes up to a new day, metrics show the national internet blackout is past the 84-hour mark,” Netblocks stated, while noting that some users have been able to circumvent the restrictions through alternative means including shortwave radio, cross-border mobile coverage, Starlink satellite internet, and satellite phones.
The internet shutdown, which began last week, coincides with a wave of protests that have spread across multiple Iranian cities over the past 13 days. The demonstrations, which represent the most significant challenge to the Islamic Republic in more than three years, were initially triggered by public anger over the rising cost of living but have since evolved into broader calls for an end to the clerical system that has governed Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
On Friday, protesters returned to the streets in defiance of the internet blackout and despite a security crackdown that activists say has already claimed dozens of lives. The protests have been marked by demonstrators waving pre-revolutionary Iranian flags bearing the Lion and Sun emblem, a symbol of the monarchy that was overthrown in 1979 when the pro-Western shah was ousted.
International observers and human rights organisations have expressed alarm over reports emerging from Iran, though the internet blackout has severely limited the flow of information and made independent verification of events difficult. Activists and opposition groups outside the country have warned that the communications shutdown is being used to mask large-scale violence against demonstrators, with some claiming that the death toll may be in the hundreds.
On Friday, United States President Donald Trump weighed in on the unrest, stating that Iran’s leaders appeared to be “in big trouble” and reiterating earlier threats of military action if peaceful protesters are harmed.
“It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago,” Trump said in remarks that reflected growing international attention on the crisis.
Trump’s comments came amid a rally held by Iranian activists outside the White House in Lafayette Square, Washington, DC, on January 10, 2026, where participants called for a “Free Iran” and expressed solidarity with protesters inside the country. Similar demonstrations have been staged in other global cities, including London, where protesters gathered outside the Iranian Embassy on January 9, waving pre-revolutionary flags and calling for regime change.
The current wave of unrest echoes previous cycles of protest in Iran, a country that has experienced recurring episodes of public dissent over economic hardship, political repression, and demands for greater freedoms. The 2009 Green Movement, sparked by disputed presidential election results, and the 2019 protests over fuel price hikes, both drew massive crowds and were met with heavy-handed responses from authorities. The 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody also triggered widespread demonstrations and a harsh crackdown.
However, the scale and geographic spread of the current protests, combined with the duration of the internet blackout, suggest a particularly tense standoff between the government and a population increasingly frustrated with economic stagnation, inflation, and perceived government mismanagement.
Iran has long used internet restrictions as a tool of social control during periods of unrest. In 2019, authorities imposed a near-total shutdown lasting several days during protests over fuel price increases, a move that drew international condemnation and was followed by reports of widespread violence and arrests. The current blackout appears to follow a similar pattern, with authorities seeking to prevent protesters from organising, sharing information, and documenting abuses.
Despite the restrictions, activists and opposition figures have urged Iranians to continue demonstrating and to use whatever means available to communicate with the outside world. The use of satellite-based communications systems such as Starlink, though limited in availability, has been highlighted as a potential workaround for those seeking to bypass state-imposed censorship.
The protests have also drawn attention to Iran’s deepening economic crisis, characterised by high inflation, currency devaluation, unemployment, and widespread poverty. Sanctions imposed by Western governments, particularly the United States, have compounded domestic economic challenges, contributing to public frustration and diminishing confidence in the government’s ability to deliver stability and prosperity.
The clerical leadership, headed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has historically responded to dissent with a combination of repression and limited concessions. However, the persistence and intensity of the current protests suggest a growing rift between the state and significant segments of the population, particularly among younger Iranians who have grown up under decades of economic difficulty and political constraints.
