Iranian security forces using tear gas to disperse protesters at the Tehran bazaar who were chanting slogans against the clerical authorities on January 6, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AFP
A nationwide internet blackout was reported in Iran on Thursday night (January 8, 2026) with internet access and telephone lines after demonstrators in Tehran and elsewhere joined a protest called by the country’s exiled crown prince.
Protests sparked by Iran’s ailing economy have swept the country and turned into a significant challenge for its theocracy. The death toll mounts from a crackdown by authorities after 12 days of economic protests.
CloudFlare, an internet firm, and the advocacy group NetBlocks reported the internet outage, both attributing it to Iranian government interference.
Attempts to dial landlines and mobile phones from Dubai to Iran could not be connected.
“Live metrics show Iran is now in the midst of a nationwide internet blackout. The incident follows a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests across the country and hinders the public’s right to communicate at a critical moment,” NetBlocks said in a statement on social media.
With inputs from AFP, AP
Published – January 09, 2026 12:19 am IST
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