Iranians threatened with legal action for using VPNs to bypass internet
blocks here's everything we know

Date:
Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:59:46 +0000

Description:
Iranian authorities are sending SMS warnings to citizens who successfully bypass the country's near-total internet blackout, threatening prosecution
for those using VPNs or Starlink to access the global web.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get the TechRadar Newsletter Sign up for
breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are
now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Iran's authorities are issuing warnings to residents defying online blocks Connecting to the internet with a VPN "will be treated as a crime," they warn Iran's internet connectivity has remained at 1% since February 28 Iranians attempting to access the global internet face the threat of criminal prosecution as a "near-complete" digital blackout enters its second week.

Local authorities and telecom operators are reportedly issuing direct
warnings via SMS to citizens who have used VPNs to circumvent ongoing restrictions, according to r eporting from France24 . The messages warn that repeated attempts to connect to the international internet will result in blocks and cases being referred to judicial authorities. You may like 'Near-complete shutdown' Iranians face third day of internet blackout as connectivity hits 1% Iranians offline for over 90 hours as digital blackout continues for fifth day here's everything we know 'Iranians are resilient; they always find ways to speak:' How Iranians are overcoming unprecedented internet censorship

This escalation suggests that even those using satellite hardware like Starlink to bypass the national gateway are now at significant risk of
arrest. Police in Iran have sent text messages warning citizens that simply connecting to the internet will be treated as a crime and prosecuted. Imagine a regime so authoritarian that it cuts off the internet during a time of conflict, and if someone manages to get online through tools pic.twitter.com/tRwvVmOi9h March 4, 2026 Texas-based digital rights group Filterwatch confirmed the development , noting that citizens evading the communication blackout may face immediate legal action.

Iranian cybersecurity expert Azam Jangravi described the move as a desperate attempt by the state to control the flow of information during a period of intense regional conflict.

Writing on X , Jangravi said: "The goal is clear: they shut down the
internet so only their narrative can be heard." Irans internet blackout hits the seven-day mark Internet monitoring groups, including Cloudflare Radar and NetBlocks , confirm that national connectivity has flatlined at just 1% of ordinary levels. These widespread restrictions began on Saturday, February
28, following reports of military strikes in the region.

While it remains unclear if the initial disruptions were caused by physical damage to infrastructure from airstrikes, the targeted SMS warnings indicate authorities are attempting to restrict access to the global internet.

Iran has a long history of cutting off online communications during times of political turmoil. According to Surfshark data , Iran has restricted the internet 63 times since 2015.

The current shutdown is the most severe since the Twelve-Day War last June
and the anti-government protests in January .

Surfshark CTO Donatas Budvytis called the total shutdown a "brutal infringement of human rights," noting that it plunges 90 million people into digital isolation at a time when access to information is a matter of
physical safety. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/iranians-threatened-with-le gal-action-for-using-vpns-to-bypass-internet-blocks-heres-everything-we-know


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)