Iran Shuts Down Internet After Antigovernment Protests Spread Nationwide

Iran's government cuts internet access across the country for over two weeks as antigovernment protests triggered by economic collapse spread beyond major cities.

Following the catastrophic economic fallout from the Twelve-Day War's destruction and continuing international sanctions — which caused Iran's rial to plunge to historic lows — massive antigovernment protests erupted across Iran from late December 2025. On January 8, 2026, the Iranian government shut down internet access nationwide in an attempt to prevent protest coordination and suppress coverage. The blackout lasted over two weeks. President Trump publicly told Iranians to "keep protesting" and claimed the US might be preparing to intervene — remarks that Iranian officials called a declaration of war on Iran's sovereignty. The protests and the shutdown set the backdrop for Iran's worst political and economic crisis since the Islamic Revolution.