An Iranian woman from Tehran, aged 36, faced numerous challenges in 2026, including protests, crackdowns, and a recent war. However, the toughest ordeal for her has been the internet blackout in Iran, which she described as “torture” due to the significant impact on her livelihood.
Identified only by her initial, N, she emphasized the struggle for survival among Iranians during this challenging period, leading her to spend most of her time abroad.
To protect her identity, N, like other Iranians interviewed by CBC News, expressed fear of repercussions from authorities for speaking out against the situation. As a result, she preferred to remain anonymous.
N’s digital marketing business suffered since the start of the year when the internet blackout began. The loss of online opportunities has jeopardized her brick-and-mortar venture, reflecting the broader economic impact on various sectors in Iran.
Even before the U.S.-Israeli attack in late February, Iranian authorities targeted the country’s internet infrastructure, intensifying online restrictions to suppress widespread street protests against the ruling regime. The subsequent blackout has been ongoing since the war broke out on February 28.
According to Netblocks, an internet monitoring service, Iranians have endured an unprecedented prolonged blackout, surpassing similar actions by authoritarian regimes like China’s Great Firewall.
Media activists at Filterwatch describe Iran’s shutdown as a strategic move by the government to enforce “absolute digital isolation.” This approach, unprecedented in scale and severity, severely limits access to the global internet, redirecting users to a restricted domestic intranet with limited functionality.
A journalist in Calgary, Alta., has been helping Iranian-Canadians send messages to family and friends inside Iran during the internet blackout. The Iranian government shut down communication in early January as it sought to quell nationwide protests.
The economic repercussions of the blackout are severe, with daily losses estimated at $250 million directly impacting businesses and financial institutions. The lack of connectivity has led to a significant decline in productivity, hindering essential operations like transactions and communication.
Analysts suggest that as many as two million jobs have been lost, affecting millions of families solely dependent on one income source. The devaluation of the Iranian currency against the U.S. dollar has further exacerbated the financial strain on the population.
Workers flee
Amid the economic turmoil, Iranians like P, a 29-year-old woman, have sought opportunities abroad due to the dire circumstances at home. P highlighted the compounding effects of economic sanctions, war, and communication restrictions on the population.
For many Iranians, leaving the country has become a necessity for survival rather than a choice, reflecting the deepening instability within Iran’s economy and society.
The disruption caused by the internet blackout has paralyzed Iran’s tech industry, impacting IT workers like A, who struggle to maintain communication and access essential resources for their work. The restrictive online environment has isolated many Iranians, affecting various aspects of their daily lives.