Iran cut internet ‘after terrorist operations began,’ foreign minister claims

By AFP 13 January 2026, 10:55 am

Edit

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks in a news briefing after attending a conference titled "International Law Under Assault: Aggression and Self-Defense," in Tehran, Iran, November 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iran ordered a now more than four-day shutdown of the internet because “terrorist operations” began during protests initially sparked by economic grievances, its foreign minister tells Al Jazeera.

Addressing a blackout that has sparked an international outcry, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says: “The government was in dialogue with the protesters. The internet was cut only after we confronted terrorist operations and realized orders were coming from outside the country.”

Rights groups accuse the Islamic Republic of cutting the internet to mask a crackdown that they say has left hundreds, and potentially thousands, dead.