Marketplace Tech 34 days without internet in Iran
Apr 2, 2026
Amir Rashidi, director for digital rights and security at the Miaan Group, explains how Iran’s National Information Network keeps citizens cut off from the global internet. He outlines what the intranet permits and censors. He reviews past shutdown patterns and the limited workarounds like VPNs, mesh tools, and satellite options.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Government Controlled Intranet Replaces Global Internet
- Iran's internet blackout leaves the National Information Network (NIN) active while blocking global internet access.
- The NIN provides national services like search and email but censors content, e.g., searching “war” returns nothing on the national search engine.
Censorship Happens At The Application Layer
- The NIN mirrors international apps but enforces application-layer censorship across services.
- Amir Rashidi notes a national search engine will return no results for terms like “war,” illustrating deliberate information removal.
Police Couldn't Check A License Plate During Blackout
- Local safety services are disrupted because police can't check plate numbers without global internet access.
- Amir Rashidi recounts a family member told police they couldn't verify a suspicious car's plate due to no internet access.