Iran Internet Blackout Enters 46th Day, Economic Losses Estimated Up to $80 Million Daily

14/04/2026

Iran Internet Blackout Enters 46th Day, Economic Losses Estimated Up to $80 Million Daily

TEHRAN, Apr 14: Iran’s nationwide internet shutdown has entered its 46th consecutive day, with monitoring group NetBlocks warning that the disruption continues to harm lives and livelihoods across the country.

“At 1080 hours, Iran's internet shutdown continues to harm lives and livelihoods as the country enters its 46th day without international access,” NetBlocks said, adding that connectivity remains severely limited despite a slight expansion of whitelist access systems.

The group described the blackout as the longest nationwide internet disruption on record, noting that citizens are still forced to take risks to communicate with the outside world.

Meanwhile, Iranian official Afshin Kolahi estimated that the economic impact of the shutdown ranges between $70 million and $80 million per day, including both direct and indirect losses.

He said direct losses alone amount to $30–$40 million daily, comparing the economic damage to major infrastructure projects such as bridges and power plants.

Kolahi added that the daily losses are equivalent to “losing multiple infrastructure projects every day,” including the cost of several major bridges and power generation units.

He warned that the ongoing blackout is not only disrupting communication but also causing severe economic strain, with long-term consequences for Iran’s digital economy and businesses.