Iran experienced a near-total nationwide internet blackout Jan. 8, according to internet monitoring groups, as authorities moved to contain widespread protests fueled by economic collapse and anger at the Islamic Republic. Hours later, President Donald Trump renewed warnings that the U.S. could strike Iran if authorities begin killing protestors.
Internet connectivity dropped sharply in the afternoon of Jan. 8, with data from NetBlocks showing the Middle Eastern country almost entirely offline. The monitoring group said the shutdown followed “a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests across the country and hinders the public's right to communicate at a critical moment."
⚠️ Confirmed: Network data show the loss of connectivity on #Iran internet backbone provider TCI in the restive city of Kermanshah as protests spread across the nation in their 12th day; the incident comes amid rising casualties with indications of disruptions in multiple regions pic.twitter.com/cJis4jOs62
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) January 8, 2026
The New York Times reported that the scale and speed of the blackout mirrored tactics Iranian authorities have used during past unrest to restrict communication and media coverage. Iran has imposed partial internet censorship since 2005, blocking platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, the outlet added. Many Iranians rely on virtual private networks to bypass restrictions.
The outages came as protests in Iran entered their 12th day. As CatholicVote previously reported, demonstrations began Dec. 28 when shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar protested soaring prices and a collapsing currency. The unrest has since widened into calls for regime change and spread nationwide. CBS News, citing the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, reported at least 39 deaths and more than 2,260 detentions have occurred during the protests.
Protests intensified after exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former U.S.-backed shah, urged Iranians in a Jan. 8 X post to "take to the streets and, as a united front, shout your demands.”
“I warn the Islamic Republic, its leader, and the Revolutionary Guards that the world and the President of the United States are closely watching you,” he added. “The suppression of the people will not go unanswered.”
In a post later in the day, Pahlavi said that millions of Iranians “demanded their freedom tonight” and that Iran “cut all lines of communication” in response. He thanked Trump for pledging to hold the regime accountable and called on European leaders to restore communication to the Iranian people.
Meanwhile, Trump said in a Jan. 8 phone interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that if the Iranian government begins “killing people which they tend to do during their riots,” then the U.S. will hit Iran “very hard,” per the BBC.
“We're watching it very closely,” he said. “They know, and they have been told very strongly, even more strongly than I am speaking to you right now, that if they do that they are going to have to pay hell.”
Trump issued a similar warning Jan. 2, writing on Truth Social: “If Iran shots [sic] and kills peaceful protesters, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
In a Jan. 7 statement responding to the prospect of U.S. strikes, the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned what it called the “meddlesome and deceptive remarks of U.S. officials regarding Iran’s internal developments” and said it would not allow “hostile conduct of the U.S.” to undermine Iran’s sovereignty, independence, or dignity.