Internet access in Iran has been intermittently disrupted as protests that began among Tehran traders spread nationwide, with Cloudflare reporting about a 35% drop in traffic. Authorities say they repelled a major cyberattack and have blamed foreign interference while organising pro-government rallies. At least 10 people have been reported killed and several arrests made, including three alleged protest leaders in Khorramabad. The unrest comes amid severe economic strain, with inflation near 50%, and the central bank chief has been dismissed amid the crisis.
Internet Disruptions and Deadly Clashes as Iran Protests Spread Nationwide
Two men hold up posters of the late commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard expeditionary Quds Force, General Qassem Soleimani, during a ceremony commemorating his death anniversary at the Imam Khomeini grand mosque in Tehran, Iran, January 1, 2026 [Vahid Salemi/AP]
Tehran, Iran — Internet access across Iran has been intermittently disrupted as protests that began among Tehran traders spread to cities nationwide. Authorities have blamed foreign interference and organised pro-government rallies while officials reported arrests and several deaths amid the unrest.
Connectivity Disruptions
Since Thursday, users have reported intermittent outages on home and mobile networks. Data from the US-based internet infrastructure and cybersecurity firm Cloudflare showed average traffic in Iran was about 35 percent lower than in previous days. Tehran has previously restricted or slowed connectivity during protest waves, sometimes limiting users to a domestic intranet. Connectivity also nearly stopped for several days in mid-June during heightened tensions with Israel and the United States.
Government Response And Cybersecurity Claims
The government has not explicitly linked the latest slowdown to protests. Minister of Information and Communications Technology Sattar Hashemi told reporters Iran had repelled what he called one of the largest recent cyberattacks on Sunday, a development officials said could help explain reduced bandwidth and service interruptions.
Protests, Casualties And Arrests
The unrest began last Sunday among traders and shopkeepers in downtown Tehran and has since spread to multiple cities. State and local reports say at least 10 people have been killed. Among those reported killed were a young business owner in Hamedan — where security forces were deployed after several days of intense demonstrations — and a 17-year-old in Qom, who officials said was shot dead.
Local authorities described some deaths as the work of "hostile elements" or "enemies" seeking to discredit the state. State outlets also reported the killing of a veteran member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Malekshahi, Ilam province, and said at least three people died in that city.
In Lorestan province, the provincial IRGC branch said it had detained "three major leaders of the recent riots" in Khorramabad. State television broadcast alleged confessions from blindfolded or face-blurred men claiming they were armed or contacted by foreign agents seeking to destabilise Iran.
Public Rallies And Political Statements
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed foreign influence and warned that "rioters must be put in their place." The comments followed a public exchange of barbs between US and Iranian officials after US President Donald Trump said he would "come to the rescue" of Iranian protesters if they were killed.
State media reported a large pro-government gathering in downtown Tehran, where thousands attended and displayed religious imagery to mark a national holiday commemorating Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shia imam. Across cities, authorities erected banners and posters bearing images of Qassem Soleimani ahead of anniversary commemorations; Soleimani, killed in a US strike in 2020, is a central symbol for many in Iran’s leadership and security apparatus.
Wider Impact And Economic Context
Many businesses, schools, universities and government offices have been closed since Wednesday after the government declared a day off, citing cold weather and electricity-management plans. It was unclear whether they would reopen on Sunday. Several online sellers and social media personalities said they would pause activities in solidarity or for safety reasons.
Protests have also moved onto university campuses, especially in Tehran, with student groups posting videos and saying several students were detained. Economic pressures have been mounting under years of sanctions, with inflation around 50 percent — a factor frequently cited as contributing to public discontent.
In an apparent political fallout linked to recent unrest, central bank chief Mohammad Reza Farzin was dismissed. His successor, Abdolnaser Hemmati, previously served as central bank chief from 2018 to 2021 and was impeached in March while serving as economy minister. Farzin was appointed as a special adviser to the president on economic affairs.
Note: Reports are based on state and local media, government statements, and independent data from Cloudflare. Some details — including attributions of responsibility for deaths and claims of foreign involvement — come primarily from official sources and remain contested.
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