Fazlollah Ranjbar
Iranian MP who publicly defended the internet blackout as a national security measure.
Last refreshed: 18 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Which Iranian politician defended making the 49-day internet blackout government policy?
Timeline for Fazlollah Ranjbar
Told state media on 17 April that internet was inadvisable under current circumstances
Iran Conflict 2026: Iran blackout sets 49-day world record- Why has Iran kept the internet off for 49 days?
- Iranian MP Fazlollah Ranjbar told state media it 'may not be advisable for the internet to be available under such circumstances', framing the blackout as a deliberate security decision.Source: Iranian state media
- How long has Iran's internet been down and what is the record?
- Iran's blackout reached 49 consecutive days and 1,152 hours on 17 April 2026, the longest nationwide internet shutdown in recorded history per NetBlocks.Source: NetBlocks
Background
Fazlollah Ranjbar is an Iranian member of Parliament who told state media on 17 April 2026 that 'it may not be advisable for the internet to be available under such circumstances', publicly defending the government's continuation of a nationwide internet blackout that had reached 49 consecutive days, the longest nationwide shutdown in recorded global history according to Netblocks.
Ranjbar's statement offered a rare parliamentary articulation of the rationale for the blackout, which the government had largely maintained without explanation. With connectivity at roughly 1% of pre-war levels and economic losses estimated at $1.8 billion as of 16 April, his comments framed the blackout as a deliberate security policy rather than a collateral consequence of conflict damage.
Possession of a Starlink terminal had been made punishable by death, a measure Ranjbar's committee was understood to support. The parliamentary position on information control mirrored the hardline stance on Hormuz: no concessions on core sovereignty instruments during the Ceasefire window.
