New Delhi: Iran’s internet blackout, imposed following a joint US-Israel military operation on Tehran, has entered its fifth week, marking the longest nationwide internet shutdown on record, digital monitoring group NetBlocks reported on Sunday.
According to a post on social media platform X, the shutdown has now lasted 37 consecutive days, exceeding 864 hours, surpassing all previous incidents of comparable scale and duration.
“Iran's internet blackout is now the longest nation-scale internet shutdown on record in any country, exceeding all other comparable incidents in severity, having entered its 37th consecutive day after 864 hours,” NetBlocks said.
The blackout, which began on February 28, has effectively cut the general public off from the global internet, with authorities experimenting with selective access through a tiered whitelisting system.
NetBlocks noted that while countries such as Myanmar, Sudan, Kashmir, and Tigray have experienced intermittent or region-specific shutdowns, none have faced a full national disconnect of this magnitude after previously having standard internet access. By contrast, nations like North Korea, which were never connected to the global internet, remain isolated but were never online to begin with.
The shutdown coincides with ongoing missile and drone strikes by the US and Israel on Iranian targets. In response, Tehran has launched retaliatory attacks on US and Israeli facilities in neighbouring Gulf countries.
Amid the conflict, Iranian authorities have restricted alternative access methods, including satellite connections and VPNs, leaving citizens with limited or no reliable ways to communicate.
NetBlocks emphasised the human cost of the shutdown, noting that families are unable to contact loved ones during a critical time. Despite these challenges, there are no indications of de-escalation, and the Iranian government has not announced when full internet access will be restored.
With IANS inputs