When the US and Israel attacked Iran, assassinating supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and calling on the Iranian people to rise up against the regime, the Islamic republic moved swiftly to maintain control, shutting down the internet and curbing communication with the world. Some 45 days later, millions of Iranians remain offline, marking what cyber watchdog NetBlocks says has become the longest nationwide internet shutdown on record. It has taken a severe toll on the country of 90mn, adding to the swingeing economic shock of a war in which infrastructure, factories and state institutions have all been bombed. Ahmad, who runs a small online bookseller in Tehran that used WhatsApp or Telegram to communicate with customers, said the “terrible” business situation caused by the war and internet blackout meant he had to dismiss three staff who worked in administration and packing.

Full report : Iran’s internet blackout enters a record 45th day, per NetBlocks, amid the war; the country’s 90 million people now rely on the domestic National Information Network.