Iran's National Internet Shutdown Devastates Economy

Iran has implemented one of the world's longest and strictest national internet shutdowns for most of 2026, devastating its online economy. This action, depicted by Iran's rulers as a wartime necessity amidst an uneasy truce with the United States and Israel, has led to an estimated daily economic loss of $30-40 million. Approximately 10 million jobs dependent on internet connectivity are affected, resulting in mass unemployment and a surge in street vendors. Businesses like the online retailer Digikala have laid off employees, and small entrepreneurs such as Amen Khademi and Monireh Pishgahi have seen their livelihoods destroyed. The shutdown has also fueled a black market for VPNs and led to arrests for using banned services like SpaceX — Starlink. Despite some limited access granted to certain professions, the vast majority of Iran's 90 million people are confined to a slow, insecure national intranet, exacerbating economic decline and anti-government protests.