Iran internet traffic drops to "almost zero" as protests intensify

Source: PortaldoBitcoin Original Title: Iran’s Internet Traffic Drops to “Almost Zero” as Protests Intensify Original Link: Iran’s internet traffic plummeted on Thursday (8), as authorities imposed a nationwide blockade amid escalating protests calling for regime change, according to data from Cloudflare and independent monitoring groups.

“Current internet usage in the region is basically nonexistent,” said David Belson, head of data analysis at Cloudflare. Internet traffic in Iran “dropped to near zero around 15:45 Brasília time (22:15 local time) and remains at that level,” he added.

The near-total blackout occurred as protests spread through Tehran and several major cities, with demonstrators demanding the overthrow of the Islamic government and clashing with security forces. Iranian authorities warned of a harsh response and blamed foreign actors for the unrest.

The current wave of protests began in late December, driven by high inflation, currency collapse, and rising living costs.

The demonstrations intensified this week after online circulation of calls for mass protests, including appeals from the exiled Iranian crown prince, Reza Pahlavi.

As crowds grew, authorities began restricting internet access, a measure officials described as security to prevent disturbances and limit coordination.

Internet monitoring groups, including NetBlocks, also reported a sharp collapse in connectivity, describing the outage as a national blackout that left the country almost completely offline.

“Real-time network data shows that Tehran and other parts of Iran are now entering a digital blackout, as internet connectivity drops across various providers,” wrote NetBlocks. “The new incident follows regional shutdowns and will likely severely limit coverage of events on the ground as protests spread.”

The method has become common

Iran has repeatedly used internet shutdowns during periods of unrest to hinder protest coordination and limit the flow of information to the outside world.

It is unclear whether alternative connectivity services, such as Starlink, were accessible during the blackout — as some social media users claimed — and neither SpaceX nor its CEO, Elon Musk, confirmed that the Starlink service was activated in Iran.

During a nationwide internet shutdown in Iran in June 2025, Musk publicly confirmed that Starlink had been activated, writing “the beams are on,” after authorities cut off access for about 90 million people.

Musk has also activated Starlink in conflict zones, including over Ukraine after the Russian invasion in 2022, and again in Gaza in 2024 to support healthcare professionals during Israel’s war with Hamas.

Independent data continues to show that Iran remains almost entirely disconnected from the global internet.