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\n\t\tIn this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)<\/p>\n
Nationwide rallies against the rising cost of living erupted in Tehran on December 28, beginning as peaceful demonstrations before turning into what officials describe as \u201cforeign-instigated riots\u201d that included killings and vandalism.<\/p>\n
An official death toll from the unrest stands at 3,117, but international NGOs have provided higher numbers.<\/p>\n
The protests have since subsided but remaining in place are the internet restrictions, which Iran\u2019s foreign minister has justified as necessary to confront foreign \u201cterrorist operations.\u201d Rights groups, however, say the shutdown was imposed to mask a government crackdown on protesters.<\/p>\n
Millions of Iranians have been left reliant on the country\u2019s intranet, which supports a wide range of domestic apps while\u00a0keeping users isolated from the outside world.<\/p>\n
\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AFP__20260124__93V98JC__v1__HighRes__IranEconomyTransportDailyLife-640x400.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
\n\t\tCommuters travel on a metro train in Tehran, Iran on January 24, 2026. (ATTA KENARE \/ AFP)<\/p>\n
Buses, subway systems, online payment and banking platforms, as well as ride-hailing, navigation and food delivery services, are all functioning on the intranet, along with local news websites.<\/p>\n
Last weekend, local media reported that domestic messaging apps, including Bale, Eitaa and Rubika would also become functional again.<\/p>\n
But Amir told AFP that he had \u201cnever used these apps and I will not start now,\u201d citing privacy concerns.<\/p>\n
Shutdown bring major business loss, flight cancellations<\/p>\n
Social media sites such as Instagram have served as a key marketplace for Iranian entrepreneurs, but the impact on the economy from the internet restrictions extends far wider.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, local media quoted Iran\u2019s deputy telecommunications minister Ehsan Chitsaz as saying the shutdown is estimated to have cost between four and six trillion rials per day \u2014 around $3 to $4 million.<\/p>\n
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks has provided a much higher estimate, saying each day costs Iran more than $37 million.<\/p>\n
A travel agent, who declined to be named for security concerns, told AFP that booking international flights has been \u201cunstable.\u201d Some flights had been cancelled and passengers only informed upon arrival at airports, she said.<\/p>\n
\u26a0\ufe0f Update: #Iran<\/a>‘s internet blackout continues in its third week despite a brief momentary restoration of international connectivity around hour 375. Online platforms are occasionally whitelisted and some users have been able to tunnel out over the last couple of days. pic.twitter.com\/bsHuOF91rt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NetBlocks (@netblocks) January 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBusiness has been affected, with the number of customers calling me daily to book flights dropping,\u201d she added, noting that \u201cdomestic flights remain easier to arrange.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Iraj, a 51-year-old truck driver in western Iran who transports goods across the country\u2019s borders, said administrative procedures for loading and unloading export cargo have slowed.<\/p>\n \u201cDrivers have been required to wait hours to complete paperwork,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u2018It will backfire\u2019<\/p>\n Curbs on the internet have been imposed during previous bouts of unrest in Iran, though they have generally been shorter and more limited in scope.<\/p>\n Disruptions took place as far back as 2009 during nationwide demonstrations against the re-election of then president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.<\/p>\n Restrictions were also in place during protests sparked by rising fuel prices in 2019, rallies in 2022-2023 after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, and during the 12-day war with Israel in June last year.<\/p>\n \t Amin, another content creator who reviews tech devices in videos posted to YouTube and Instagram, said he had anticipated restrictions this time but did not expect the shutdown to be so long or so stringent.<\/p>\n \u201cWe used to complain that working under these conditions was difficult, but now it\u2019s affecting every aspect of our livelihoods,\u201d the 29-year-old told AFP.<\/p>\n It remains unclear how long the blackout will last. In recent days, patchy access to some foreign websites and email services, such as Google, has been available but has been highly unreliable.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only optimistic thing I can say\u2026 is that I don\u2019t see them keeping the internet shut completely for a long time,\u201d Amin said.<\/p>\n \u201cOtherwise, it will backfire.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tThis photograph taken during a tour for foreign media shows women walking past a government building that was burnt during recent public protests, in Tehran on January 21, 2026. (Atta Kenare\/AFP)<\/p>\n
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