June 24, 2025

Analyzing Iran’s Internet Status Based on Cloudflare Data: Widespread Disruption from June 17 to 20 and the Start of Recovery

In today’s world, the internet plays a vital role in all aspects of life, from daily communication to business and education. The stability and accessibility of this global network are essential for the development and proper functioning of modern society. Therefore, examining the internet status in different countries, especially during disruptions, is of high importance.

Recently, the Iran internet status has faced significant challenges. According to data published by Cloudflare, one of the world’s largest providers of internet and security services, a widespread disruption in Iranian users’ access to the international internet was observed starting from the afternoon of Wednesday, June 17, 2025 (۲۸ خرداد ۱۴۰۴). This disruption, which lasted for several days, had deep impacts on the online activities of users and internet-dependent businesses.

The Beginning of the Disruption: Wednesday, June 17

Data from Cloudflare Radar clearly shows that starting around the afternoon of Wednesday, June 17, 2025 (۲۸ خرداد ۱۴۰۴), Iran’s connection to the global internet network experienced a sharp and sudden drop. Reports indicate that internet traffic originating from Iran decreased significantly, by about 75%, from around 18:20 on that day. This sudden and severe reduction was the first sign of a widespread disruption.

Simultaneously with the decrease in outgoing traffic, the level of access for Iranian users to the international internet also dropped sharply. According to data collected by Cloudflare, as well as reports published by NetBlocks (a non-governmental organization monitoring internet outages), Iran’s overall connection to the global internet decreased by an average of 90 to 97% during this period. This level of drop meant that a very large portion of users lost access to websites and services outside the country.

Limited Access to Domestic Websites

During the period of widespread disruption from June 17 to June 20, the internet status was such that access to the international internet was minimized, and only some domestic websites and platforms were accessible. This situation effectively confined users within a semi-national network, where establishing communication with the outside world via the global internet had become very difficult or impossible.

Whether the severe limitation of international internet access was a deliberate action or due to technical reasons or cyberattacks is not directly addressed in Cloudflare’s reports. Cloudflare’s data focuses more on the technical status of connectivity and traffic volume, but the severity and breadth of the disruption indicate a major and unusual event in the country’s network infrastructure.

Period of Disruption Stability until Saturday, June 20

The severe internet disruption that began on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 17 (۲۸ خرداد), continued until Saturday, June 20, 2025 (۳۱ خرداد). Throughout this period, Iranian users faced serious issues connecting to the international internet. This several-day period of outage or severe disruption had extensive negative consequences for economic, educational, communication, and even social activities.

Online businesses, freelancers, students, researchers, and the general public require stable access to the global internet for their daily activities. A 90 to 97% reduction or limitation virtually stripped this possibility from millions of people, leading to the halt or severe slowdown of many activities. This situation further highlighted the importance of free and stable internet access.

Beginning of the Recovery Trend from Saturday, June 20

The good news was that, according to data published by Cloudflare, signs of a gradual improvement in Iran’s internet status were observed starting from Saturday, June 20 (۳۱ خرداد). Cloudflare reported that Iranian users’ access to the internet was being re-established, and the situation has gradually improved since that date.

This initial improvement, although not a complete return to normal, marked a turning point after several days of severe disruption. Field reports from some cities also indicated the reconnection of fixed internet (ADSL, VDSL, etc.), suggesting a partial resolution of issues in some parts of the network infrastructure.

Continued Improvement Early This Week

Newer data from Cloudflare Radar released early this week confirmed the continuation of the improvement trend in Iran’s internet status. Although the speed and quality of connection may not have fully returned to their previous state in all areas and for all users, the general trajectory was towards greater stability and accessibility. These improvements were reported to be particularly noticeable in the fixed internet sector.

Examining the Iran internet status based on Cloudflare data during the period of June 17 to 20 (۲۸ تا ۳۱ خرداد), provides a concerning picture of the vulnerability of the country’s communication infrastructure and the serious consequences of widespread internet disruption or limitation. While the exact reasons for this disruption have not been officially determined, transparency in this regard and adopting necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such events are crucial.

Cloudflare’s Role in Monitoring Internet Status

Cloudflare, as a major technology company, provides tools like Cloudflare Radar to monitor the internet status globally. These tools offer neutral information regarding connectivity, traffic, cyberattacks, and other data related to internet health. Cloudflare’s data is often the first and most reliable source for confirming and measuring the extent of internet disruptions in a specific region.

The analysis of Cloudflare’s data regarding the Iran internet status during the period in question confirmed user reports and other unofficial sources about the widespread disruption. This data allows analysts and researchers to examine the dimensions and timing of outages and disruptions with greater accuracy.

Social and Economic Consequences of Internet Disruption

A 90 to 97% disruption in international internet access is more than just a simple technical issue. This situation can have devastating social and economic consequences. Small and large businesses relying on the internet for sales, marketing, customer communication, and even payments suffer heavy losses.

Students who use online resources for learning are deprived of access to educational content. Personal and family communications, especially with those living abroad, are cut off. Access to free information and international media is limited. All these factors demonstrate the depth of the internet’s impact on daily life and the necessity of protecting its stability and freedom.

Future Outlook and the Need for Stability

Despite the start of the improvement trend in Iran’s internet status according to Cloudflare data from Saturday, June 20 (۳۱ خرداد), there is still a need for complete stability and guaranteed free access to the internet for all users. Recurrence of widespread disruptions can erode user and business trust and be a serious obstacle to the country’s digital development.

Responsible bodies should provide full transparency regarding the reasons for recent events and offer necessary guarantees to prevent their recurrence. Protecting the country’s critical infrastructure against cyber threats is essential, but this protection should not come at the cost of limiting or cutting off users’ free access to the global internet network.

Conclusion

A detailed examination of the Iran internet status based on Cloudflare data from Wednesday, June 17 to Saturday, June 20, 2025 (۲۸ تا ۳۱ خرداد ۱۴۰۴), indicates a period of widespread and unprecedented disruption that reduced users’ access to the international internet by approximately 90 to 97%. This disruption, which began on Wednesday afternoon and continued until Saturday, only allowed access to some domestic services.

Fortunately, from Saturday, June 20 (۳۱ خرداد), Cloudflare data and field reports indicated the beginning of a recovery trend, and fixed internet was reconnected in some cities. This recovery trend continued into the beginning of the current week. This event once again highlighted the critical importance of stable, free, and non-discriminatory access to the internet for all aspects of life in the digital age and underscored the need for special attention to communication infrastructure and transparency in their management.

Analyzing Iran’s Internet Status Based on Cloudflare Data: Widespread Disruption from June 17 to 20 and the Start of Recovery