Iranians are enduring the longest and most intense internet blackout in history, compounding an economic crisis that sparked nationwide protests in December.
For nearly three months, businesses have been disconnected from clients and suppliers, with many forced to close, hurling more Iranians into unemployment.
The blackout is "the most severe, by extent and duration, that we've tracked in the history of modern internet connectivity," said Alp Toker, founder of digital watchdog group NetBlocks.
Heavy internet restrictions in response to the protests began on Jan. 8 and were eased on Jan. 23, before being reinstated on Feb. 28, the day the U.S. and Israel first attacked Iran.
Network connectivity in Iran has hovered around 1% to 2% of total capacity for weeks, compared with between 90% and 100% before the protests, according to NetBlocks.
The blackout compounds the heavy cost the war has had on Iran's economy, with more than a million people out of work, food prices soaring, and the national currency spiraling to record lows.
"Around 10 million jobs are estimated to be directly or indirectly tied to Iran's digital economy," said Mohammad Reza Farzanegan, an economist specializing in the Middle East at Philipps-Universität Marburg in Germany.
Restricting access on this scale damages productivity, weakens business confidence, and increases inequality, since only wealthier or better-connected users can secure reliable connectivity.
