Connection at a cost: The high-risk world of Iran’s underground VPN market after internet blackout

NewsWorldMiddle EastIndependent PersianConnection at a cost: The high-risk world of Iran’s underground VPN market after internet blackoutUsers are risking it all to get online as operators gain the ability to monitor activity during the nationwide internet shutdown, writes Alireza ManafiSunday 05 April 2026 11:34 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2950816","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-vpn-config-internet-shutdown-b2950816.html","title":"Connection at a cost: The high-risk world of Iran’s underground VPN market"},"popoverPlacementOverride":"bottom"}open image in gallery{"id":"trigger-autogallery-1292","index":0}A woman takes images with her smart phone in front of a building which was damaged after a strike on a police station amid the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondentsGet a weekly dispatch from our international correspondentsGet a weekly international news dispatchEmail*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice{"className":"sc-1ge0fwe-0","newsletterData":{"regSourceNewsletter":"IND_On_The_Ground_Newsletter","regTitle":"On The Ground","subscriptionGroup":"on_the_ground","subscriptionGroupId":"14806361-6435-4d19-b06e-05326605fb01","pathPrefix":["/news/world/europe","/news/world/middle-east","/news/world/australasia","/news/world/africa","/asia"],"associatedAuthors":["Bel Trew","Sam Kiley"],"title":"On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents","mobileTitle":"Get a w...