Name: Internet blackout in Iran: internet goes down as protests spread
Uploaded: 2026-01-10T13:22:21.929Z
Duration: 3 min 23 s
Description: Online monitors report that Iran is experiencing a nationwide internet blackout amid protests. Yaakov Lappin, security analyst, joins us for more insight.

Online monitors report that Iran is experiencing a nationwide internet blackout amid protests. Yaakov Lappin, security analyst, joins us for more insight.

Tehran

Iran has implemented a nationwide internet blackout following a week of widespread protests against the regime. The blackout is intended to disrupt protest coordination and prevent images and information from spreading within Iran and to the international community.

Security analysts note that the regime's actions reflect concerns about domestic unrest and international reputation. The situation remains tense, with external threats of intervention and ongoing global attention, but there have been no significant defections from Iran's security forces at this time.

Internet blackout in Iran: internet goes down as protests spread

Good evening and welcome to I-24 News. I'm Emily Francis. Our top story tonight, Iranian authorities are reportedly saying cut. With a week's worth of mass protests throughout the country, online monitors are saying that the country is now experiencing a nationwide internet blackout, with web outages coming as Iranians began chanting out of their windows against the regime following a call by exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former U.S.-backed Shah. Joining us now in studio to talk more about it is security analyst Yakov Lapin, the host of The Lapin Assessment. And good evening. It seems like these protests clearly have reached a critical juncture and an interesting response. Shutting off the internet has many functions that the regime thinks will work in their favor. First of all, it stops the protesters from coordinating. You know, you use the internet to say, let's meet up at town square at a certain time, at a certain location. What better way than for the internet to help coordinate the protests? So they want to shut that down. Also, both domestically and globally, they don't want these scenes leaking out anymore. Of course. They fear that domestically, it's only going to throw fuel into the fire. And internationally, they fear that this is going to destroy their status, both in the Middle East and globally. And we've got President Trump here threatening once again, I think for a second time, that if the regime becomes murderous in its repression, which very often tends to do in these situations, they're going to face American firepower. That's a really serious threat right after the Venezuela operation. Nobody is laughing off threats by Trump. So they're shutting down the internet. They want to put, you know, the whole scene here in the dark, and they hope that this is going to calm and stabilize the situation. Will it actually do that? But is it? I mean, because now we're seeing this is happening. So here, clearly, the protests have affected them, if you look at it in that way. Obviously, it's getting to them, if that's what they could do about it, short of, you know, doing what Trump says not to do. Yeah, they're very nervous. I think they're one step away from maximizing, they're using all of their force, which is snipers and really killing these protesters in a big way. But most of them are unarmed, and they wouldn't be able to do much. But again, we've got the Trump threat now in the background. And just the threat in and of itself is a game changer, because it makes the regime have to calculate steps much more carefully. Well, and that said, even if they're cutting off the internet there, I mean, already it has rippled throughout the world. So many Iranians living in the United States. Sure. You know, and beyond. So in a way, it could potentially have the opposite effect when it comes to the global world. Yeah, it could definitely do that. Yeah. I mean, we don't know where it's going. It's very hard to predict. This is not a science. The only thing I would say is that if you want to look for a sure sign that the regime is in existential trouble, and I don't think we're there yet, look out for the army or the police or an elite, somebody with access to weapons, turning against the regime publicly in large numbers. If you see that happening, then you know that this regime's days are numbered. That's the telltale sign. We haven't seen that yet, but we could see it at any point going forward. The fact this is still going on and the world knows about it, we'll see, I'm sure, a week from now we'll have a much different part of this story. Thank you very much.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene to protect demonstrators amid a deadly crackdown by Iranian security forces.

Iran warns Washington it will retaliate if U.S. launches an attack

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas showcased a wide array of AI-powered innovations, including paper-thin televisions, interactive Lego, and binoculars that can identify bird species in real time. Notable breakthroughs included .Lumen's AI glasses for the visually impaired and Roborock's Saros Rover, a robotic vacuum cleaner capable of navigating stairs and various surfaces autonomously.

Las Vegas

Rise of AI

AI-powered innovation dominates Consumer Electronics show

Human remains were found in Australia's southeast where bushfires raging for days have razed buildings, cut power to thousands of homes and burned swaths of bushland, police said. The blazes are burning out of control during a summer heat wave in Victoria state.

Victoria

'Gut-wrenching': Australian bushfires expected to burn for weeks

Anti-government protests in Iran show no sign of stopping. Human rights groups are putting the death toll at 116 with 2600 detained. U.S. President Donald Trump has reaffirmed U.S. support for the protesters.

Protests in Iran defy government crackdown

Iran's army is threatening to join the crackdown on protesters as demonstrations against the regime grow and the death toll mounts. Huge crowds have taken to the streets across the Islamic Republic. Iran's Revolutionary Guard calls them "terrorists." Haley Ott has more details.

Iran's army threatens to join crackdown against protesters

President Trump said, "We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not," earlier this week. But Greenland, a territory of Denmark and a NATO ally, is rejecting the threats.

Nuuk

Greenland rejects Trump's threats

Trump, who often cites national security interests as the reason for taking Greenland, said that if the US does not do something, 'Russia or China will take over Greenland'.

Trump says U.S will act on Greenland, 'whether they like it or not'

Protests across the U.S., including in Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Miami, are taking place following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Police declared the demonstrations in downtown Minneapolis an 'unlawful assembly'.

Philadelphia

Protests spread across the U.S. over ICE shooting of woman

Internet and phone lines in Iran have been cut off as anti-government protests enter their second week. Reports say at least 65 people have been killed and more than 2,300 others detained. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of a possible U.S. response to the government crackdown.

Internet blackout in Iran enters second day as protests intensify

Rescue workers are trying to find dozens of people trapped under a collapsed landfill in the Philippines. At least four people have been confirmed dead. The incident took place on Thursday, with more than 100 workers on site at the time.

Cebu City

Philippines: Dozens still missing in landfill collapse

BRICS nations have launched joint naval exercises off the South African coast. Supporters say the drills will strengthen co-operation among emerging economies.  But critics warn they could deepen global divisions.

Simon's Town

South Africa hosts Russia, Iran and China for military exercise

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned on Saturday that safeguarding security was a "red line" and the military vowed to protect public property, as the clerical establishment stepped up efforts to quell the most widespread protests in years.

Iran authorities signal intensified crackdown as unrest grows

Luigi Mangione was back in court on Friday, where his lawyers worked to block the Justice Department from seeking the death penalty in his federal trial for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione pleaded not guilty in April 2025.

New York

Luigi Mangione's lawyers fight to block death penalty

Fire crews battle spreading blazes while communities face evacuations and power cuts.

Thousands of firefighters deployed to fight bushfires in Australia

The protest comes amid wider rallies against US immigration enforcement and over the fatal shooting of the 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.

Minneapolis

Several arrested in Minneapolis during anti-ICE protest

Trump says U.S. will act on Greenland, 'whether they like it or not'

U.S. President Donald Trump began a meeting to discuss Venezuela with executives from some of the world's largest oil companies at the White House, saying he wants them to invest $100 billion in the country to vastly expand its production.

Washington

Venezuela Strikes

Trump urges U.S. oil giants to repair Venezuela's energy industry

The U.S. seized another oil tanker linked to Venezuela in the Caribbean, U.S. Southern Command confirmed on Friday (January 9). The seizure of the vessel comes as President Donald Trump prepares to meet with oil company executives at the White House.

U.S. seizes fifth tanker linked to Venezuela

U.S. President Donald Trump is reiterating his threats against Iran's regime if violence and deaths continue during protests. CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab has more.

Trump: U.S. to hit Iran 'very hard' if violence continues at protests

Russia fired a powerful hypersonic missile overnight at a target in Ukraine near the border with NATO-member Poland, in what Kyiv's European allies described as an attempt to intimidate them from supporting Ukraine.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russia fires hypersonic missile at Ukraine target near NATO border

A majority of European Union countries have agreed to sign a trade deal with the South American trading bloc, Mercosur. It'll be the EU's biggest free-trade pact and comes after decades of negotiations.

Brussels

EU approves Mercosur trade deal despite protests

The Trump administration is pulling the U.S. out of dozens of international organizations, including key UN agencies and the treaty underpinning global climate talks, marking a deepening retreat from multilateral cooperation.

Trump admin. withdraws from dozens of international organizations

The brother of Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, and head of the country’s national assembly has announced the release of a wide raft of political prisoners. It's being viewed as a gesture to seek peace less than a week after the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces.

Cúcuta

Venezuela releases political prisoners

Residents in Portland, Oregon, protested Thursday after officials say two people were shot by Border Patrol agents. Gwen Baumgardner has more on how the shooting unfolded.

Portland

Two shot by border patrol agents in Portland

Russia launched a massive attack in Ukraine using drones and missiles, including a nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile. Michael Bociurkiw, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, joins CBS News with more.

Odesa

Russia strikes Ukraine with hypersonic missile

Four crew members aboard the International Space Station will be brought home more than a month early in the coming days as NASA cuts its mission short due to health concerns.

NASA cutting current International Space Station mission short

Iran's supreme leader has condemned anti-government protests, denouncing demonstrators as vandals and saboteurs. Iran has shut down the internet and cut off international calls and is promising decisive punishment.

Iran's Supreme Leader defiant as protests grow

The U.S. Senate advanced a resolution that would bar President Donald Trump from further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization, a rare rebuke of the Republican leader.

U.S. Senate advances measure curbing Trump's Venezuela war powers

U.S. officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

Trump administration mulls paying Greenlanders to join U.S.

Iran’s connectivity drops sharply nationwide – As authorities tighten controls amid growing protests over the economy. NetBlocks says the apparent blackout follows ‘a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests’.

Breakdown