Iran Businesses Buckle Under Strain of Record Internet Shutdown

Iran’s record internet blackout is taking a heavy toll on private businesses, with owners and industry officials warning that it could lead to mass layoffs and closures.

The Islamic Republic imposed heavy restrictions on the internet after Israel and the US started their war on the country in late February, having earlier blocked online access during nationwide protests the previous month. That move helped obscure international visibility of a violent crackdown in which thousands of civilians were killed.