'Near-complete shutdown' — Iranians face third day of internet blackout as connectivity hits 1% | Tech Radar

Overview

'Near-complete shutdown' — Iranians face third day of internet blackout as connectivity hits 1%

With internet traffic flatlining, even the most sophisticated VPNs and circumvention tools can't help get people online

Details

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Iran entered a near-total internet blackout on February 28

Iranians have very limited solutions to circumvent restrictions

Iran has been plunged into a near-total internet blackout as regional conflicts escalate. The disruptions come barely a month after previous nationwide restrictions were lifted.

Data from internet watchdogs, including Cloudflare Radar and Net Blocks, shows that widespread restrictions began on Saturday February 28. The disruptions followed reports of military strikes in the region.

Cloudflare Radar recorded a "near-complete shutdown" on Saturday, reporting that internet traffic in Iran had dropped in major hubs including Tehran, Fars, Isfahan, Alborz, and Razavi Khorasan.

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As of March 2, the blackout has surpassed the 48-hour mark with no signs of recovery.

Nearly all of the Iranian internet has been down for 43+ hours but, as was the case with last month's shutdown, there is a tiny amount of traffic still getting passed. Within the remaining traffic, we can see subsequent outages, possibly caused by continued US/IL airstrikes…🧵 pic.twitter.com/1 Kxk 4t 6HU8 March 2, 2026

Nearly all of the Iranian internet has been down for 43+ hours but, as was the case with last month's shutdown, there is a tiny amount of traffic still getting passed. Within the remaining traffic, we can see subsequent outages, possibly caused by continued US/IL airstrikes…🧵 pic.twitter.com/1 Kxk 4t 6HU8 March 2, 2026

Doug Madory, Director of Internet Analysis at Kentik, confirmed that several networks have entirely ceased exchanging traffic.

He noted that — similar to the restrictions imposed on January 8 — "there is a tiny amount of traffic still getting passed." Signs of outages, potentially caused by airstrikes, continue to reduce connectivity.

While Reuters reported that a wave of cyberattack incidents has coincided with Saturday's attack on Iran, some digital rights activists have suggested that the regime may be to blame for restricting access to the internet.

Iran has previously cut off online communications during times of political turmoil. Besides the shutdown imposed in January to crack down on widespread anti-government protests, authorities also restricted access to the internet last June during the Twelve-Day War between Israel and Iran.

Proton VPN, one of the most popular free VPNs in the region, recorded a "sharp uptick" in usage on Saturday just hours before the near-total blackout took effect.

David Peterson, General Manager at Proton VPN, noted that this surge suggests Iranians were "trying to find international news sources on the US/Israel strikes" before connectivity dropped.

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Iran Update 🇮🇷06:16 GMT this morning: sharp uptick in @Proton VPN traffic from Iran - likely to be from Iranians trying to find international news sources on the US/Israel strikes.07:06 GMT: To suppress information, Iran completely cuts off internet access again. pic.twitter.com/rl AOad Qpe 0 February 28, 2026

Iran Update 🇮🇷06:16 GMT this morning: sharp uptick in @Proton VPN traffic from Iran - likely to be from Iranians trying to find international news sources on the US/Israel strikes.07:06 GMT: To suppress information, Iran completely cuts off internet access again. pic.twitter.com/rl AOad Qpe 0 February 28, 2026

While VPNs are important tools for bypassing censorship, they do need the internet access to work.

For the same reason, VPN alternatives (Psiphon, Tor, and Lantern) that currently help Iranians to overcome unprecedented internet censorship are also likely not working.

Satellite internet connections like Starlink remain one of the very few solutions to navigate these types of shutdowns, but access among residents in Iran is limited.

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Chiara is a multimedia journalist committed to covering stories to help promote the rights and denounce the abuses of the digital side of life – wherever cybersecurity, markets, and politics tangle up. She believes an open, uncensored, and private internet is a basic human need and wants to use her knowledge of VPNs to help readers take back control. She writes news, interviews, and analysis on data privacy, online censorship, digital rights, tech policies, and security software, with a special focus on VPNs, for Tech Radar and Tech Radar Pro. Got a story, tip-off, or something tech-interesting to say? Reach out to chiara.castro@futurenet.com

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Key Takeaways

• 'Near-complete shutdown' — Iranians face third day of internet blackout as connectivity hits 1%

• With internet traffic flatlining, even the most sophisticated VPNs and circumvention tools can't help get people online

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission

• Iran entered a near-total internet blackout on February 28

• Iranians have very limited solutions to circumvent restrictions