Iran’s nationwide internet shutdown has entered its 20th day, with public access to the global web cut for more than 456 hours, network monitor NetBlocks said on March 19, citing real-time connectivity data.
The outage, now the longest recorded in Iran, shows a wartime clampdown on information flows as authorities tighten control over communications during the conflict that began on February 28. Connectivity has fallen to around 1% of normal levels, effectively cutting off millions and deepening the country’s isolation from international networks. The duration surpasses a previous record set in January.
NetBlocks said a brief restoration after roughly 444 hours appeared to result from a filtering “glitch”, allowing limited access before services went dark again.
Restrictions have since broadened. So-called “white SIM” cards, previously used by regime-linked users to maintain access, were disabled on March 15 before being partially restored on March 18, suggesting a calibrated rollback. VPNs have been choked off, domestic platforms intermittently disrupted and messaging traffic curtailed, according to network data.
The tightening coincided with the run-up to Chaharshanbe Suri on March 17, a fire festival that in recent years has doubled as a protest flashpoint, pointing to a pre-emptive effort to disrupt mobilisation channels.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi framed the shutdown as a security measure. “The internet is closed because of security reasons… we have to do everything to protect our people,” he told CBS News, likening the restrictions to wartime controls.
The blackout has unfolded alongside an escalation in hostilities. Israeli and US strikes on Iran since late February have reportedly killed around 1,300 people, including senior figures, while Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel and neighbouring states hosting US assets. The exchange has disrupted aviation routes and unsettled regional markets.
With external connectivity largely severed, Iranians are increasingly reliant on state broadcasters, while information flows shift abroad, where diaspora accounts fill gaps without direct verification from inside the country.
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