In this photo obtained by The Associated Press, Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, January 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
Iran is planning to permanently break from the global internet, restricting access to a small group of pre-approved users, The Guardian newspaper said, citing a report from Filterwatch which monitors internet censorship in the country.
“A confidential plan is under way to turn international internet access into a ‘governmental privilege’,” Filterwatch said.
“State media and government spokespersons have already signaled that this is a permanent shift, warning that unrestricted access will not return after 2026.”
Under the plan, Iranians with security clearance or who have passed government checks will have access to a filtered version of the global internet, while all other Iranians will only have access to the national internet, which is cut off from the broader world.
The internet blackout imposed amid the recent anti-regime protests is part of a broader plan to turn Iran “into a communication black hole under the looming dominance of the Khatam al-Anbia base,” the joint command base of Iran’s armed forces, said Filterwatch in the report it published Thursday.
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