Tehran, Iran – Most of Iran’s 90 million-strong population remains cut off from the rest of the world more than one week after an unprecedented, state-imposed communications blackout amid nationwide protests, which began in December and quickly turned deadly.The Iranian government abruptly cut off all internet access across the 31 provinces of the vast country on the night of January 8 when protests swelled into mass demonstrations against the clerical leadership, days after shopkeepers first shuttered their businesses in downtown Tehran in protest over rising prices.Mobile communications were also blocked and people were unable even to call rescue services on that first night.After the start of the blackout, it took authorities several days to restore an intranet designed to provide access to local websites and services.It is unclear when or to what extent access to the global internet will be restored. Local phone services have been restored but SMS text messages remain blocked.Since Tuesday, only outgoing international phone calls have been reconnected. The state continues to send many one-way text messages to people across the country daily, urging them not to fall victim to ploys by “enemies” and to report any suspicious activity. A man stands by the wreckage of a burned bus in Tehran’s Sadeghieh Square on January 15, 2026, following deadly protests across Iran, initially caused by economic grievances [Atta Kenare/AFP]Foreign ‘elements’ blamedThe government has not released official figures for the number of people killed during clashes between protesters and government …
