Iran Cuts Internet to Suppress Nationwide Antigovernment Protests

As antigovernment protests spread across Iran in January 2026 — fuelled by economic collapse and grief following the Twelve-Day War — the government shut down internet access nationwide for over a week, blocking communications and preventing footage from reaching international media. The crackdown echoed the 2019 and 2022 shutdowns but was broader in scope, reflecting a regime under acute pressure from a population blaming it for the devastation of the prior year.