One of the clearest indications that the Iranian regime faced the most serious challenge of its existence during the nationwide protests of late December 2025–January 2026 was its decision to impose a total internet shutdown. When the initial demonstrations spread nationwide on December 27 and large crowds took to the streets to protest the status quo, the regime responded as it had in the past, by resorting to severe repression. As in previous crackdowns, this repression was accompanied by the cutting of internet and mobile communications, a measure that was initially didn’t implemented easy.

In the early hours of the protests on Thursday, December 8, 2026, the chair of Irancell, Alireza Rafiei, refused to carry out the order to impose restrictions on communications. Irancell is a telecommunications service provider that was established in 2005 through a joint investment by South Africa’s MTN Group. Currently, 85 percent of Iran’s population is covered by 4G and 4.5G networks, and all cities across the country are covered by 3G, 4G, and 4.5G networks. As of 2023, up to 50 percent of Iranian cities are covered by Irancell’s fifth-generation (5G) mobile network. The operator’s fiber-optic network is also being rolled out and expanded nationwide. The reasons why Irancell’s CEO refused to comply with the order after receiving it remain unclear.

Then, Mohammad-Hossein Soleimanian became the new chair of Irancell and carryout the decision. At the outset, the government completely blocked all communications, to the point that even its own state-run news agencies, responsible for disseminating propaganda, lost internet access. The shutdown brought the country’s entire communications infrastructure to a standstill, paralyzing banks, financial transactions, government offices, and virtually every system a modern state relies on to function, even one as inefficient and dysfunctional as the Islamic Republic.

After a few days, the regime restored only about one percent of internet connectivity, limited strictly to institutions deemed absolutely essential. At the same time, security forces raided homes and facilities that had been previously identified as possessing equipment needed to access Starlink satellite internet, aiming to sever even the most minimal links with the outside world. In addition to confiscating Starlink devices, the government interfered with satellite communication signals, largely succeeding in concealing the atrocities taking place.

As of Tuesday, January 20, reports continue to indicate that internet shutdowns and severe restrictions remain in effect across Iran.