Digital-rights monitors and activists say Iranian authorities are advancing a confidential plan to sever or sharply curtail the country's connection to the global internet, converting access to an adjudicated government privilege for a cleared minority while the rest of the population is restricted to a domestic, national network. Amir Rashidi, head of Filterwatch, reported that enforcement has already been tightened during recent nationwide blackouts and that authorities have warned unrestricted access will not return after 2026. A large-scale national network project being deployed in partnership with Chinese suppliers is described as building an internal data centre and platform to host banking, payment systems and other critical public services. Activists and aid groups say thousands of Starlink satellite terminals have been smuggled into Iran and traded on the black market; estimates cited by activists place the number of units in the tens of thousands. Restricting global connectivity would raise barriers to trade, deter foreign investment, and complicate cross-border financial flows by isolating payment platforms and banking infrastructure.

Source: The Guardian January 17, 2026 13:30 UTC