Iran intends to restrict access to the global internet, providing connection only to individuals verified by the regime, according to digital rights activists.

Iran plans to permanently break away from the global internet, allowing access only to individuals verified by the Iranian regime, according to a report by the organization Filterwatch. Activists claim that unrestricted access to the internet will not return after 2026, and ordinary citizens will only have access to a national network, disconnected from the rest of the world.

This will include applications and services created by the regime, such as messaging, search engines, and a streaming service similar to Netflix. The internet shutdown began on January 8, following anti-regime protests, and the current blackout is considered one of the most severe in history.

A former U.S. State Department official warned that a permanent break from the global internet would have massive economic and cultural costs for Iran. Authorities have been working on implementing the national internet since 2009, following previous disruptions.