Iran Enters 240th Hour of Severe Internet Shutdown, Spending One-Third of 2026 Offline

Iran Enters 240th Hour of Severe Internet Shutdown

Iran has reached a staggering milestone in digital isolation, with a total internet blackout now extending to 240 hours, according to data from global internet monitor NetBlocks. Multiple Persian-language channels circulated the metrics today. The rapid-news aggregator خبرفوری ࡆ اخبارفوری مذاکره ࡆ جنگ فوری reported the 240-hour blackout mark, a figure that was also shared by allied technology and general news channels.

The foreign-based opposition network Iran International ایران اینترنشنال, which maintains a highly critical editorial stance toward the Iranian government, provided a detailed assessment of the blackout's severity. According to the network, NetBlocks announced that after 240 hours of a "complete internet shutdown in Iran," the state's action "now ranks among the most severe nationwide internet shutdowns implemented by governments globally." The channel notes that this ongoing blackout, which follows the January (Dey) protests, is considered the second longest recorded shutdown in Iran's history.

Furthermore, Iran International highlighted the extreme limitations placed on the public, emphasizing that "the level of access for ordinary users inside Iran is still estimated at about one percent."

The cumulative effect of these repeated restrictions means that Iranians have faced massive digital disconnection this year. Even non-political channels are reporting on the macro-level impact; the sports and general news outlet فوتبالی| اخبار و خبر ورزشی سه noted the broader statistical reality of the disruptions, echoing the NetBlocks finding that "Iran has spent about one-third of the year 2026 in an offline state."