Communication eased but internet still blacked out
On Jan. 14, 2026, amid intense nationwide protests in Iran, authorities eased some communications restrictions, allowing residents to make international calls via mobile phones for the first time in days. However, the government maintained a near-total internet blackout, limiting text and online messaging access both inside and outside the country.
The partial communications reprieve came as protests, which erupted in late December 2025, showed no signs of abating. The unrest has resulted in thousands of arrests and a rapidly growing number of casualties, according to local and international rights groups. The temporary mobile call allowances were described by residents as a “small window of relief” amid continued restrictions on digital connectivity.
The blackout has severely constrained independent reporting and the ability of families to track loved ones. Despite this, activists have relied on workarounds like Starlink satellite internet services to share footage and accounts of unrest with international media.