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Iran's nationwide internet blackout has now entered its 56th consecutive day, according to the internet monitoring service NetBlocks, making it the longest nationwide disruption ever recorded globally. The outage, which began in late February, has persisted through military conflict, diplomatic negotiations, and a ceasefire announcement, leaving international connectivity at just 2% of ordinary levels, the service reported on X.

Coverage Comparison

All reports on the blackout come from TASS, the Russian state news agency, which has tracked the outage in near-daily updates since mid-April. The coverage has been consistent in attributing the blackout to the military operation launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, but details about the duration and context have evolved as events unfolded. Early reports placed the outage at 45 days, while the latest puts it at 56 days, reflecting the continuing nature of the disruption.

The reports also collectively note that the blackout has become the longest such event in recorded history, surpassing previous disruptions in other countries. While the duration estimates vary slightly across reports due to the timing of each update, the overall trajectory is consistent: the blackout has persisted for nearly two months with no clear end in sight.

Key Claims

  • Duration of the blackout: NetBlocks, cited by TASS, has reported the outage as lasting between 45 and 56 days depending on the date of the report. The latest update, from April 24, marks 56 days with over 1,320 hours of severed international connectivity, with traffic at roughly 2% of normal levels.
  • Cause of the blackout: All eight reports attribute the blackout to the military operation launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28. The reports note that major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck, and that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a retaliatory operation targeting Israel. US military bases in several Gulf countries were also reportedly hit.
  • Diplomatic efforts: Multiple reports state that Iran and the US held several rounds of talks in Islamabad on April 11. The Iranian delegation was led by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, while Vice President JD Vance headed the US delegation. Both sides reported no agreement on a long-term settlement, citing multiple disagreements.
  • Ceasefire announcement: On April 7, US President Donald Trump announced a two-week mutual ceasefire with Tehran, according to TASS. Later, on April 21, Trump said on Truth Social that Washington intended to extend the ceasefire, which was set to expire within hours. However, TASS reports that Iranian state broadcaster indicated Tehran does not intend to comply with the unilaterally announced extension.
  • Casualty figures: The Iranian side has reported 3,375 Iranians died as a result of US and Israeli attacks over the first 40 days of the conflict, a figure cited in reports from April 23 and April 24.
  • Naval blockade: One report, from April 20, states that the US imposed a naval blockade on Iran on April 13. This claim is only carried in a single report and has not been independently verified in other coverage.

Perspectives

The reports, all sourced from TASS, present the blackout as a consequence of foreign military action against Iran, with the US and Israel as the initiating parties. The framing places Iran as the victim of an unprovoked attack, and the blackout is presented as collateral damage of a broader conflict. The Iranian casualty figure is reported without challenge, and the ceasefire extension is described as a unilateral US move that Tehran rejects.

Independent verification of the blackout duration and its causes is limited because all reports rely on NetBlocks' monitoring and TASS's reporting. No Western or Iranian domestic sources are included in the coverage, and the reports do not provide any official Iranian government explanation for the continued blackout. The naval blockade claim, in particular, lacks corroboration from other outlets.

The military context is presented without reference to events that may have preceded the US-Israeli operation, and no Iranian actions prior to February 28 are mentioned. According to TASS, the conflict began with the US-Israel strike, and subsequent Iranian retaliation is framed as a response.

As the blackout continues, questions about its impact on civilians, access to information, and the humanitarian situation in Iran remain unaddressed in these reports. The reports also do not specify whether the blackout is a deliberate government measure or a result of infrastructure damage, though the consistent and sustained nature of the outage suggests a deliberate shutdown.

Given the lack of independent sources, these reports should be read as reflecting the perspective of a Russian state news agency, which may align with Iranian and Russian strategic interests. The absence of international press coverage and the unprecedented length of the blackout underscore the need for further independent reporting and monitoring.