Iran’s economy faces massive losses amid prolonged internet shutdown

According to Mehr News Agency, Hashemi commented on the economic impact of the internet shutdown imposed by the authorities following protests that began on December 28, 2025.

It has been claimed that the daily economic damage caused by the internet shutdown in Iran exceeds 20 million dollars, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

The death toll in the unrest in Iran has reportedly risen to 5,848.

Hashemi said, “The estimated daily damage to the core of the digital economy is around 3.5 million dollars. This damage mainly affects operators and sectors related to network infrastructure. The daily damage to the macroeconomy is estimated at approximately 34.5 million dollars.”

The Iranian minister noted that around 10 million people are employed directly or indirectly in Iran’s digital economy, adding that the internet shutdown has directly harmed employment and people’s livelihoods, which could lead to ‘social’ and ‘security-related’ consequences.

Ali Hekimjavadi, head of Iran’s Computer Engineers and IT Sector Professional Organization, said yesterday that the direct daily damage of the internet outage to the country’s economy is about 20.6 million dollars.

In the country, where the internet has not functioned properly for around 19 days, total economic losses are estimated to exceed 655 million dollars.

Protests in Iran

Protests began on December 28, 2025, led by shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar after the local currency rapidly lost value against foreign currencies and economic hardship deepened. The demonstrations later spread across the country.

Following violent clashes during protests in Tehran on January 8, the authorities restricted internet access nationwide.

While Iranian officials have not released official figures on the number of people killed or injured, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that 5,858 people were killed and 41,283 were detained during the unrest.

In a statement issued on January 21, Iran’s Martyrs and Veterans Foundation Forensic Medicine Organization said that 3,117 people, including security forces and civilians, were killed during the protests. It stated that 2,427 of them were security personnel and civilians allegedly killed by “armed terrorist groups,” while no information was provided about the remaining 690 individuals.