Internet blackout in Iran lasts more than 790 hours — NetBlocks

Lead

Iran's internet has been almost completely disrupted for over 790 hours—more than 32 days—according to the international internet monitoring service NetBlocks, as the country remains embroiled in military conflict with the United States and Israel. The blackout, which began after the launch of a US-Israeli military operation on February 28, has left connectivity at roughly 1% of ordinary levels, cutting off the general public from vital updates and world attention.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from TASS, the Russian state news agency, have tracked the blackout's duration at multiple points, each time citing NetBlocks' data. On April 1, TASS reported that the blackout had entered its 33rd day, with connectivity observed at about 1% of normal levels. The following day, the figure had extended to 34 days (over 792 hours). By April 3, TASS said the blackout was on its 35th consecutive day, with connectivity flatlining at 1% of ordinary levels after 816 hours. NetBlocks described the situation as an "incident" closing its fifth week, emphasizing that the public remained "cut off from the world without vital updates and without a voice."

All four TASS dispatches agree on the core facts: the blackout's severity, its duration, and its cause. Each report attributes the disruption to the military operation launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, which struck major Iranian cities including Tehran. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a large-scale retaliatory operation targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were also reported hit.

No outlet in the available coverage disputes these claims, though the reliance on a single news agency (TASS) for all reports means independent verification from other international media is not represented in this analysis. The reports do not provide evidence of censorship or omission; they simply reflect what was published.

Key Claims

• Internet blackout duration and severity: NetBlocks, as cited by TASS, reported that Iran's internet connectivity has remained at approximately 1% of normal levels for more than 790 hours, with the blackout entering its 35th day on April 3. These figures are consistent across multiple TASS reports.

• Cause of the blackout: The blackout is attributed to a military operation launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, which targeted major Iranian cities. This is stated in all four TASS articles.

• IRGC retaliation: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation against Israel, and US bases in several regional countries were reported hit. Again, this is consistent across all TASS reports.

• Partial return of Google: In a later report dated April 16, a local resident told TASS that Google search had resumed operation in Iran. The resident said the Google homepage opens and searches can be performed, but links to websites remain non-clickable. This claim, however, is based on a single source and has not been independently verified by other outlets or monitoring services.

Perspectives

NetBlocks (via TASS): The monitoring service frames the blackout as a severe restriction on civilian communications, emphasizing that the public is "cut off from the world without vital updates and without a voice." Its data is the primary source for the duration and severity of the outage.

TASS: The Russian state agency presents the blackout as a direct consequence of US and Israeli military action against Iran, and highlights Iranian retaliation. Its reporting consistently ties the internet disruption to the broader conflict, without editorializing on the blackout itself.

Local Iranian residents: One resident, quoted by TASS, confirmed the partial restoration of Google services but noted functional limitations. This perspective offers a ground-level view of the blackout's impact, though it remains anecdotal.

Temporal Context and Corrections

The reports span from April 1 to April 16, capturing an evolving situation. The early reports track the blackout's progression from day 32 to day 35. The later report suggests a partial easing of restrictions, as Google search became accessible. However, the full restoration of internet services has not been confirmed, and the status as of the latest report remains limited.