Iran Shuts Down Internet Access Amid Escalating Conflict

Iranian officials said Wednesday that nationwide internet blackouts were deliberate and intended to “stabilize networks” during alleged Israeli cyberattacks.

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Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani called the internet restrictions “temporary, targeted and controlled” while urging citizens to remain in place after thousands reportedly fled Tehran in recent days. Officials also said the restrictions would cut bandwidth by 80 percent to help disrupt any covert Israeli activity inside the country.

The rolling connectivity blackouts follow days of missile strikes initiated by Jerusalem and coincide with warnings that the conflict could spark major cyberattacks on critical infrastructure in Israel and the United States. Analysts previously told Information Security Media Group that Iran may retaliate with disruptive cyberattacks on U.S. targets, echoing a decade-old campaign that flooded American banks with distributed denial-of-service attacks (see: Israeli Strikes Raise Fears of Cyberattacks and Retaliation).

Reports from the region indicate Iran has banned government officials from using internet-connected devices, fearing Israel could track military or government leaders. Even officials’ bodyguards are barred from using equipment that connects to telecom networks or the public internet, according to the state-linked Fars news agency.

The encrypted messaging platform WhatsApp – one of the most popular messaging apps in Iran – was forced to deny claims aired by Iranian state television Tuesday that it collects user data and sends it to Israel. In a statement to the Associated Press, the company said it does not track precise location or provide “bulk information to any government,” and warned Iran could use the “false reports” to justify blocking access “at a time when people need them the most.”