Iran internet disruption drains $1.56 million hourly from economy, analyst says

February 4, 2026, 1:26 AM EST
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CITY, State (Fox News) — Iran is losing an estimated $1.56 million every hour due to its state-imposed internet blackout, impacting over 90 million people and draining the economy.

Key Facts

– The blackout started amid protests in January, costing Iran $37.4 million per day.
– The blackout has resulted in $780 million in losses, with strict filtering continuing to impact the economy.
– VPN demand surged by 579% as Iranians seek ways to access the internet.
– The blackout has caused significant economic losses to Iran.

Impact

The blackout has led to economic losses of 5,000 billion rials a day in the digital economy and nearly 50 trillion rials in the wider economy.

Analysis

Access to the internet in Iran remains heavily censored and restricted to government-approved sites, impacting connectivity and stability throughout the day.

Overall, Iran’s internet blackout has had a significant economic impact, with the population struggling to access the internet freely despite partial connectivity restoration.

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