Iran Internet Blackout: Cyberattacks and Strategic Disconnect

Iran remains largely disconnected from the global internet, experiencing a near-total blackout that began on Saturday, February 28, 2026, amid escalating tensions and military strikes from the U.S. And Israel. As of Monday, March 2, 2026, national connectivity stands at approximately 1% of ordinary levels, according to data from NetBlocks.

Regime-Imposed Shutdown or Cyber Warfare?

Whereas the Iranian government has not officially commented on the outage, NetBlocks attributes the disruption to a “regime-imposed” nationwide internet shutdown. This tactic is consistent with Iran’s past responses to periods of conflict and civil unrest, including a similar blackout in January that lasted several weeks. However, reports suggest a more complex situation, with potential cyberattacks playing a significant role.

Internet analyst Doug Madory noted that the limited internet activity observed could be attributed to a government system of “whitelisting,” granting access only to entities deemed loyal to the regime. Source

U.S. And Israeli Cyber Operations

Alongside airstrikes, U.S. And Israeli actors are reportedly conducting cyberattacks targeting Iranian internet infrastructure. These attacks have focused on government-aligned news websites and other key online services. According to reports, the BadeSaba Calendar, a popular religious calendar app with over 5 million downloads, was compromised, displaying messages urging the Iranian armed forces to surrender. Source

In January, Iranian state television was briefly hacked, broadcasting speeches by former U.S. President Donald Trump and the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, inciting public revolt. Source

Potential for Iranian Cyber Retaliation

As Iran responds to the strikes with its own military actions, analysts warn of potential Iranian cyberattacks targeting U.S. And allied interests. CrowdStrike’s head of counter adversary operations, Adam Meyers, stated that his firm is “already seeing activity consistent with Iranian-aligned threat actors and hacktivist groups conducting reconnaissance and initiating [denial-of-service] attacks.” Source

Meyers further explained that Iranian cyber actors have historically aligned their activities with broader strategic objectives, targeting sectors such as energy, critical infrastructure, finance, telecommunications, and healthcare. Source

Historical Context and Connectivity Levels

The current blackout mirrors disruptions observed during last year’s conflict with Israel, suggesting a pre-planned response by Iranian authorities. Source As of February 28, 2026, NetBlocks reported national connectivity down to approximately 4% of normal levels. Source The outage began shortly after an attack on a compound in Tehran at 06:10 UTC, with telecoms disruption starting around 07:10 UTC and the blackout largely in effect by 08:00 UTC. Source

Wartime national blackouts are exceedingly rare globally, with Iran being a notable exception. Source