Iran is planning to create a closed internal internet network that will allow access to a limited number of domestic websites, the Guardian reported, citing Iranian digital technology expert Amir Rashidi. Internet monitoring service NetBlocks reported on January 8 that the internet was shut down across the country for the first time in Iran amid ongoing protests.
The Guardian notes that state broadcaster IRIB previously published a list of websites available in Iran, including domestic search engines, navigation services, messaging apps and even its own Netflix-like streaming service. Protests in Iran began in late December 2025 over the devaluation of the local currency, the Iranian rial.
