Iran’s daily network outage costs $250 million, and the communications minister opposes a “whitelist” system

According to Bitcoin.com News reported on May 11, internet monitoring firm Netblocks recorded that the Iran internet shutdown has lasted for more than 72 days since the Feb 28 U.S.-Israeli attacks, with the national internet connectivity rate falling to just 1% of normal levels. Iran’s communications minister, Sattar Hashemi, opposes the two-tier internet access system Internet Pro.

Iran Internet Shutdown Status: Netblocks Monitoring Data

Citing Netblocks’ ongoing monitoring reports, Bitcoin.com News said the Iran internet shutdown began on Feb 28, 2026. Netblocks has kept continuous records of the incident since that date, describing the shutdown as “unprecedented.” Netblocks also noted: “Under the authorities’ ban on public access to the international internet, there is no sign that connectivity will be restored more broadly.” As of the time of the report, the country’s internet connectivity volume still remains at 1% of normal levels.

Internet Pro Two-Tier System and Official Disagreement

According to Bitcoin.com News, Iranian authorities rolled out a two-tier internet access system called Internet Pro: pre-approved users can browse international websites with fewer restrictions, while ordinary Iranians still face strict limits. Due to the high cost, most Iranians cannot afford it and are forced to use alternative methods such as virtual private networks (VPNs). The report also added that although Starlink service has been available in Iran, there was an incident in which a citizen using the service died after being arrested.

Iranian communications minister Sattar Hashemi publicly opposed Internet Pro, saying that “a tiered internet or a ‘whitelist’ system has no justification at all,” and adding that the system has already been misused. Meanwhile, the hardliners affiliated with Mohammad Amin Aghamiri, who is in charge of overseeing cyberspace, support the policy.

Economic Losses and Employment Impact

Citing an estimate by Iranian economist Mahdi Ghadsi, Bitcoin.com News said that if the impact on banks and businesses is included, the Iran internet shutdown causes economic losses of up to $250 million per day, totaling nearly $3 billion. Ghadsi estimated the shutdown led to unemployment risk for about 2 million people, affecting nearly 8 million households nationwide.

FAQ

When did the Iran internet shutdown begin, what is the current connectivity rate, and what is the data source?

Based on monitoring data from Netblocks cited by Bitcoin.com News, the Iran internet shutdown began on Feb 28, 2026. As of May 11, 2026, it has lasted for more than 72 days. The national internet connectivity rate has fallen to 1% of normal levels, and Netblocks described the shutdown as “unprecedented.”

Who are the main supporters and opponents of the Internet Pro two-tier system, respectively?

According to Bitcoin.com News, Iran’s communications minister Sattar Hashemi publicly opposed it, claiming the “whitelist system has no legitimacy” and that the system has already been misused. The hardliners affiliated with Mohammad Amin Aghamiri, who is responsible for regulating cyberspace affairs, support the policy.

What are the estimated economic loss figures and scale for the Iran internet shutdown?

Based on an estimate by Iranian economist Mahdi Ghadsi cited by Bitcoin.com News, the shutdown causes economic losses of up to $250 million per day, totaling nearly $3 billion. It is also estimated to lead to unemployment risk for about 2 million people, impacting nearly 8 million households.