January 13, 2026 — Tehran (Iran), Janury 13, 2026, BNN Web Staff: Iran’s top cyberspace authority has reaffirmed the government’s decision to keep global internet access heavily restricted across the country until authorities deem full security has been restored following days of widespread protests and unrest.
The measure, first imposed early last week as demonstrations spread to major cities including Tehran, Shiraz and Tabriz, has cut most citizens off from the international web and social platforms, leaving millions reliant on a heavily controlled domestic network.
According to state officials, the restrictions are aimed at countering what they describe as “cognitive warfare” and foreign interference as protest movements challenge the government’s policies.
Mohammad Amin Aqamiri, head of Iran’s National Center for Cyberspace, said in comments carried by official media that authorities will only consider lifting the global internet blockade once they are convinced that public order and national security have been fully reestablished.
Basic domestic online services — including banking and some national messaging platforms — remain operational through the National Information Network.
Meanwhile, independent monitoring groups report that non-satellite internet connectivity has plummeted to near zero in most regions, though some Iranians are still reaching the outside world using Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite terminals where possible, despite government efforts to jam or confiscate such equipment.
