Iran internet blackout enters 23rd day, NetBlocks says

Mar 22, 2026, 07:53 GMT

Iran internet blackout enters 23rd day

Iran’s internet blackout has entered its 23rd day, leaving the country isolated from the outside world for more than 528 hours, internet monitoring group NetBlocks said.

NetBlocks said the state-imposed shutdown, now in its fourth week, is adding to the wartime strain on millions of civilians who lack access to independent information and alerts.

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Lawmaker says Iran is charging some ships $2 million to pass Hormuz

• An Iranian lawmaker, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, told parliament’s national security committee that the Islamic Republic is charging some vessels $2 million to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Boroujerdi said the measure has already been implemented and reflects what he called a new “sovereign regime” in the strait after decades.
• “Now, because war has costs, naturally we must do this and take transit fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, adding the move shows the Islamic Republic’s “authority.”
• He also referred to Donald Trump’s warning that the United States could target Iran’s power infrastructure if the strait is not reopened within 48 hours, saying Israel’s energy infrastructure would be within Iran’s reach and could be destroyed “within a day.”

Iranian outlet threatens regional blackout after Trump ultimatum

• After Donald Trump gave the Islamic Republic 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and warned Iranian power plants could be targeted, Mehr news agency threatened that even a limited strike on Iran’s electricity infrastructure would plunge the entire region into darkness.
• Mehr wrote, “Say goodbye to electricity,” and said that “with the smallest attack” on the Islamic Republic’s power infrastructure, “the entire region will fall into darkness.”
• Mehr published a map marking major power plants across Persian Gulf countries, including sites in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, and said 70% to 80% of the region’s major power plants are built along the Persian Gulf coastline and are within range of Iranian missiles.

Iran says Hormuz open to all but ‘enemies' after Trump ultimatum

• In response to Donald Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization, Ali Mousavi, said the waterway remains open to all except what he called Iran’s “enemies.”
• Mousavi said ships can pass through the strait if security and safety arrangements are coordinated with Iranian authorities and that Tehran is ready to work with the IMO and other countries to improve maritime safety and protect seafarers.
• “Diplomacy remains Iran’s priority,” Mousavi said, adding a “complete cessation of aggression” and “mutual trust and confidence” are more important. He added that US and Israeli attacks on Iran were at the “root of the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Japan says one national freed from Iran custody, another remains detained

• Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said a Japanese national detained in Iran since 2025 has been released and is returning home, while another Japanese citizen remains in custody.
• Motegi said the release followed repeated requests to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and that efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the second detainee. He said the released national departed via Azerbaijan.

Witnesses report early-morning strikes across Iran

• Witnesses reported early-morning strikes and air activity across several parts of Iran, including Chabahar, Ahvaz, Bushehr, Yazd and Rasht.
• Messages to Iran International said fighter jets were heard over Chabahar around dawn, with repeated jet activity and several explosions reported in Ahvaz later in the morning.
• In Bushehr, residents reported multiple overnight explosions followed by two more blasts near daybreak, one near a Revolutionary Guards site. A missile base in Yazd was also reported bombed, and in Rasht an explosion was heard before dawn and electricity was briefly cut in some areas.

If you’re affected by internet censorship or sudden shutdowns and need to maintain secure access to independent information, a VPN like Doppler VPN can help restore private, encrypted connections to the outside world.

Sources:

• iranintl.com