2025 Internet blackout in Iran
| 2025 Internet blackout in Iran | |
|---|---|
| Native name | قطعی سراسری اینترنت |
| Location | Iran |
| Date | 17–18 June 2025 |
| Target | Iranian Internet users |
Attack type | Internet blackout |
| Perpetrators | SNSC, MICT |
| Motive | Twelve-Day War |
In the first week of the Twelve-Day War, Iran shut down the internet nationwide. The Iranian government blocked access to the internet, leading to a 97% fall in internet usage in Iran. This has led to Iranians being disconnected from the outside world. According to cybersecurity expert Amir Rashidi, the internet is viewed as "an enemy" by the Iranian government which seeks to "control and suppress it".
Iran has historically blocked the internet to suppress protests, having done so In 2019 as well as 2022. From 2022 to 2024, Iran also banned WhatsApp and Google Play during the Mahsa Amini protests. The censorship of internet has been used by Iran to suppress dissent, protests and the Iranian opposition. Iranian blockage of the internet has historically brought about "huge" economic costs.
The Iranian government has urged Iranian citizens to block WhatsApp, claiming that it was Israeli spyware, a claim that WhatsApp denied. Additionally, social media access was blocked.